YVYoju   \Ua>«>e     VooV. 


\ 


WORKINGMEN'S  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  IN 
PHILADELPHIA 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW   YORK    •    BOSTON    •    CHICAGO    •    DALLAS 
ATLANTA    ■   SAN   FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Limited 

LONDON    •   BOMBAY    •  CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Lid. 

TORONTO 


WORKINGMEN'S  STANDARD  OF 
LIVING  IN  PHILADELPHIA 


A  REPORT  BY  THE 

BUREAU  OF  MUNICIPAL  RESEARCH 
OF  PHILADELPHIA 


STAFF  ON  THIS  INVESTIGATION 

WILLIAM  C.  BEYER,  in  charge 
REBEKAH  P.  DAVIS,  ASSISTANT 
MYRA  THWING,  ASSISTANT 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1919 

AU  rights  reserted 


COPTHIOHT,  1919 

bt  the  macmillan  company 


Set  up  and  eleotrotyped.     Publiahed  October,  1919. 


HD 

P56n 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

Introduction 

PAGE 

The  Living-Wage  Principle  Accepted 1 

An  Obstacle  to  its  Application 2 

How  to  Remove  this  Obstacle 3 

Facts  from  260  Families 3 

The  Views  of  SpeciaUsts ** 

Size  of  Standard  Family ^ 

Total  Income  Necessary ^ 

Application  of  Findings ' 

Next  Steps ^ 

CHAPTER  II 

How  OUR  Facts  were  Obtained 

The  Selection  of  Families H 

The  Schedule 12 

The  Account-Book  Records 14 

Degree  of  Accuracy 15 

Analysis  of  Data 1^ 

The  Staff 21 

CHAPTER  III 

A  Glimpse  at  our  Families 

Where  They  Lived 22 

Their  Nationality 22 

Membership  of  Families 23 

Their  Occupations 24 

V 


vi  Contents 

PAGE 

Their  Income 30 

Their  Expenditures 34 

CHAPTER  IV 

The  Standard  of  Living 

General  Outline  of  the  Standard 38 

Division  of  the  Standard  into  Specified  and  Unspecified 38 

Presentation  of  the  Specified  Section 39 

Presentation  of  the  Unspecified  Section 39 

Method  of  Arriving  at  Cost  of  Unspecified  Section 40 

Comparison  of  Cost  Variation  of  Unspecified  Section  with  that 

of  Specified  Section 40 

Cost  Variation  of  the  Items  of  the  Unspecified  Section  Consid- 
ered Separately 41 

Health 41 

Furniture  and  Furnishings 42 

Taxes,  Dues  and  Contributions 43 

Recreation  and  Amusements 44 

Education  and  Reading 45 

Insurance 45 

Miscellaneous  Expenditures 46 

The  Specified  Standard 47 

HOUSING 47 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 47 

Supporting  Data 47 

FUEL  ANT)   LIGHT 51 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 51 

Supporting  Data 51 

FOOD 53 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 53 

Supporting  Data 54 

CLOTHING 67 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 67 

Supporting  Data 69 

CARFARE 77 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 77 

Supporting  Data 77 


Contents  vii 

PAGE 
CLEANING   SUPPLIES   AND   SERVICES 79 

Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 79 

Supporting  Data 79 

The  Unspecified  Standard 81 

Appendix  I.  The  Schedule 89 

Appendix  II.  Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard  of  Living  for  a 
Family  of  Five 115 

Index 123 


TABLES 

PAGE 

1.  Occupations  in  Detail  by  Total  Income  Groups 25-29 

2.  Sources  and  Amount  of  Income 32-33 

3.  General  Expenditures  of  Families.    By  Income  Groups.  .36-37 

4.  Average  Annual  Rent  Paid  by  Families  of  Five  Persons 

(Household)  and  Distribution  of  these  Families  in  Houses 

of  Various  Sizes.    By  Income  Groups 50 

5.  Fuel  and  Light.    Average  Annual  Quantities  Used  and 

Average  Annual  Expenditures.    By  Objects  of  Expend- 
iture       52 

6.  Annual  Food  Consumption  as  Shown  by  Estimates.    By 

Classes  and  Articles  of  Food 58-60 

7.  Annual  Food  Consumption  During  1917-18  as  Shown  by 

the  Account-Book  Records  of  31  Famihes.    By  Classes 
and  Articles  of  Food 61-63 

8.  Annual  Food  Consumption  During  1913-14  as  Shown  by 

Account-Book  Records  of  Four  Families.   By  Classes  and 
Articles  of  Food 64-66 

9.  Clothing  of  the  Husband.    Quantity  Used  Annually.    By 

Articles  of  Clothing 72 

10.  Clothing  of  the  Wife.    Quantity  Used  Annually.    By  Ar- 

ticles of  Clothing 73 

11.  Clothing  of  Boy,  Age  13.    Quantity  Used  Annually.    By 

Articles  of  Clothing 74 

12.  Clothing  of  Girl,  Age  10.    Quantity  Used  Annually.    By 

Articles  of  Clothing 75 

13.  Clothing  of  Boy,  Age  6.    Quantity  Used  Annually.     By 

Articles  of  Clothing 76 

14.  Carfare.    Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Various  Ob- 

jects      78 

15.  Cleaning  Supplies  and  Services.    Average  Annual  Quan- 

tities Used  and  Average  Annual  Expenditures.    By  Ob- 
jects of  Expenditure 81 

ix 


X  Tables 

PAGE 

16.  Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Classes  in  the  Unspecified 

Standard 82 

17.  Health.    Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Various  Ob- 

jects       83 

18.  Furniture  and  Furnishings.    Average  Annual  Expenditures 

for  Various  Objects 84 

19.  Taxes,  Dues  and  Contributions.    Average  Annual  Expend- 

itures for  Various  Objects 85 

20.  Recreation  and  Amusements.     Average  Annual  Expend- 

itures for  Various  Objects 85 

21.  Education  and  Reading.   Average  Annual  Expenditures  for 

Various  Objects 86 

22.  Insurance.     Average   Annual   Expenditures   for  Various 

Kinds  of  Insurance 86 

23.  Miscellaneous  Expenditures.     Average  Annual  Expend- 

itures for  Various  Objects 87 

Figures 

1.  Sources  of  Income.    Average  for  Each  Income  Group.  ...     31 

2.  Actual  Distribution  of  Expenditures.    By  Income  Groups.     35 

3.  Comparison  of  Food  Consumption  by  Calories 57 


WORKINGMEN'S  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  IN 
PHILADELPHIA 


WORKINGMEN'S  STANDARD  OF 
LIVING  IN  PHILADELPHIA 

CHAPTER  I 

INTRODUCTION 

The  Living-Wage  Principle  Accepted 

Nowadays  very  few  persons  object  to  the  principle 
of  a  living  wage.  It  is  generally  agreed  that  the  hum- 
blest worker  is  entitled  to  a  return  for  his  services 
that  will  enable  him  to  support  himself  and  his  family 
in  decency  and  comfort  and  give  his  children  a  fair 
start  in  the  world.  If  we  have  failed  thus  far  to  secure 
a  Hving  wage  for  all  workers,  it  has  been  due  largely 
to  differences  of  opinion  as  to  the  methods  to  be  em- 
ployed and  to  a  lack  of  understanding  of  what  consti- 
tutes a  hving  wage  rather  than  to  disapproval  of  its 
principle. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  at  this  time  to  discuss  the  prob- 
lems that  are  involved  in  applying  the  Hving  wage 
principle  in  private  industry  where  competition  is  a 
comphcating  factor.  Our  thought  at  present  is  con- 
fined entirely  to  the  public  and  quasi-pubhc  service. 
It  is  there  that  social  responsibility  is  most  direct  and 
that  negligence  in  conforming  to  accepted  standards 
is  least  excusable.  Every  public  corporation,  as  an 
agency  of  social  welfare,  ought  to  be  a  model  employer. 

1 


2     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

It  has  nothing  to  fear  from  the  hazards  of  competition 
which  the  private  employer  camiot  leave  wholly  out 
of  account.  Neither  can  there  be  any  question  as  to 
the  methods  of  enforcing  a  living  wage  in  the  public 
serv-ice,  for  this  is  a  field  that  is  not  involved  in  the 
controversy  between  laissez-faire  and  social  control. 
Public  salaries  and  wages  always  have  been  fixed  by 
public  authority,  and,  of  course,  a  li\'ing  wage  for 
pubhc  employes  would  be  enforced  in  the  same  manner. 

An  Obstacle  to  its  Application 

Perhaps  the  main  obstacle  to  the  application  of  the 
living  wage  principle  in  pubhc  service  has  been  oijr 
lack  of  a  definite  understanding  of  what  constitutes  a 
hving  wage.  Too  often  we  have  been  disposed  to  con- 
fuse a  Hving  wage  with  the  minimum  for  which  a 
worker  can  be  hired,  forgetting  that  the  worker  is 
often  forced  by  economic  necessity  to  accept  whatever 
wage  is  offered  him  quite  regardless  of  its  adequacy. 
When  we  speak  of  a  living  wage,  we  must  have  in  mind 
a  certain  standard  of  living  that  such  a  wage  is  to  make 
possible.  In  the  popular  mind,  however,  this  standard 
has  been  at  best  a  very  vague  concept.  Even  the  so- 
called  ''American  standard  of  Hving",  which  has  been 
bandied  about  so  much  by  poHtical  orators,  is  extremely 
indefinite.  It  is  true  that  we  have  a  considerable 
number  of  scientific  studies  of  living  costs  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  but  their  findings  are  generaUy 
expressed  to  such  a  large  extent  in  terms  of  doUars 
and  cents,  rather  than  in  actual  goods  and  services, 
that,  during  a  period  of  changing  prices,  they  are  of 
Httle  practical  value  a  year  or  so  after  pubHcation, 
Hence  the  average  employer,  whether  private  or  public, 
has  naturally  been  inclined  to  pay  the  usual  market 


Introduction  3 

rates,  leaving  the  question  of  the  resulting  standard 
of  Hving  of  his  workers  to  take  care  of  itself. 

In  this  respect  the  city  of  Philadelphia  has  not  been 
different  from  other  employers.  The  wages  it  has  paid 
its  unskilled  laborers  have  generally  been  slightly 
above  the  minimum  rates  prevailing  outside  the  city 
service,  but  no  systematic  consideration  has  ever  been 
given  to  the  adequacy  of  these  wages  from  the  stand- 
point of  a  fair  standard  of  living.  The  appropriating 
body  simply  has  not  had  the  infonnation  regarding 
living  requirements  and  Hving  costs  necessary  to  apply 
such  a  test  of  adequacy. 

How  to  Remove  this  Obstacle 

The  obvious  need  is  for  a  definite  statement,  in 
terms  of  actual  goods  and  services,  of  what  constitutes 
a  fair  standard  of  living.  This  statement  should  be 
so  explicit  and  detailed  that  it  would  be  possible  at 
any  time  to  ascertain  the  current  cost  of  each  item 
enumerated  therein  and  thus  to  arrive  at  the  total 
cost  of  such  a  standard  of  living  at  existing  price 
levels.  With  such  a  statement  or  standard  before  it, 
the  appropriating  body  of  the  city  will  be  able  to  find 
out  in  a  very  short  time  whether  or  not  it  is  paying  its 
laborers  adequate  wages,  and  if  not,  at  what  point 
wages  must  be  fixed  to  make  them  adequate. 

Facts  from  260  Families 

It  was  with  the  definite  purpose  in  mind  of  meeting 
this  obvious  need  that  the  Philadelpliia  Bureau  of  Mu- 
nicipal Research  undertook  the  present  study  a  httle  over 
two  years  ago.  Early  in  the  course  of  this  study,  it  ap- 
peared that  the  findings  of  pre\'ious  investigators  would 
not  supply  all  the  specific  data  that  were  required  for 


4     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

outlining  a  fair  standard  of  living  in  that  degree  of  de- 
tail and  in  the  concrete  terms  of  goods  and  services  for 
which  we  were  striving.  Hence  we  entered  upon  an 
inquiry  of  our  own  into  the  standards  of  Hving  of 
workingmen's  families  in  Philadelphia.  In  this  in- 
quiry, schedules  of  income  and  expenditures  were 
obtained  from  395  famiUes  hving  in  all  the  more  im- 
portant industrial  sections  of  the  city.  Of  this  number, 
260  schedules  proved  acceptable  for  tabulation.  As 
will  be  shown  more  in  detail  in  the  next  chapter,  a 
special  effort  was  made  to  find  out,  not  only  what  the 
various  families  expended,  but  also  what  they  actually 
consumed  or  utilized  throughout  the  year.  The  in- 
formation thus  secured  proved  most  valuable  as  a 
guide  in  devising  the  standard  of  Uving  herein  sug- 
gested. 

The  Views  of  Specialists 

This  information,  however,  was  not  our  only  guide. 
In  addition,  the  views  of  social  workers,  food  special- 
ists, clothiers,  and  others  who  were  in  position  to  give 
helpful  advice,  were  freely  consulted.  The  housing 
standard,  for  example,  was  adopted  only  after  it  had 
been  examined  and  approved  by  Mr.  John  Ihlder, 
secretary  of  the  Philadelphia  Housing  Association. 
In  devising  the  food  standard,  we  had  the  valuable 
advice  and  assistance  of  Dr.  Albert  P.  Brubaker, 
Professor  of  Physiology  at  Jefferson  Medical  College. 
On  the  more  general  aspects  of  the  report,  we  received 
many  helpful  suggestions  from  various  other  persons, 
particularly  from  Mr.  J.  L.  Jacobs  of  Chicago,  who 
during  the  period  of  the  war  was  engaged  by  the  fed- 
eral government  as  consultant  on  employment  prob- 
lems. 


Introduction  5 

Size  of  Standard  Family 

As  a  basis  for  our  standard,  we  have  assumed  a 
family  of  five,  consisting  of  husband  and  wife,  a  boy- 
age  13,  a  girl  age  10,  and  a  boy  age  6.  In  so  doing 
we  are  conforming  to  the  practice  of  most  previous 
investigators  who  have  attempted  the  formulation  of 
a  standard  family  budget. 

Total  Income  Necessary 

According  to  the  findings  of  our  investigation  a 
family  of  this  size  cannot  maintain  a  fair  standard  of 
living,  at  current  prices  (autumn  of  1918)  on  less  than 
$1,636.79  a  year.  Assuming  300  working  days  in  a 
year  the  equivalent  daily  income  would  be  $5.45. 

This  figure  is  considerably  higher  than  those  of  pre- 
vious investigators,  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
living  costs  also  are  much  higher  now  than  they  were 
in  the  days  when  these  investigators  collected  their 
facts.  Robert  Coit  Chapin,  whose  book,  "The  Standard 
of  Living  among  Workingmen's  Famihes  in  New  York 
City",  is  one  of  the  most  authoritative  works  on  the 
subject,  found  that  a  family  of  five  persons  could  get 
along  on  from  $900  to  $1,000  a  year.  The  Chapin 
investigation,  however,  was  made  in  1907,  and  since 
that  time  a  tremendous  increase  in  the  cost  of  Uving 
has  taken  place.  Unfortunately  we  do  not  have  retail 
index  numbers  prior  to  1914  for  all  classes  of  the  house- 
hold budget  so  it  is  not  possible  to  ascertain  the  full 
amount  that  would  have  to  be  added  to  the  Chapin 
figure  to  bring  it  down  to  date.  It  is  possible,  however, 
to  calculate  the  amount  of  increase  for  all  the  major 
classes  since  1914  and  for  food  and  fuel  since  1907. 
By  using  the  retail  price  index  numbers  of  the  U.  S. 


6     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  for  food  and  fuel,  and  index 
numbers  derived  from  figures  gathered  by  the  National 
Industrial  Conference  Board  ^  for  rent  changes  and 
relative  prices  of  clothing,  it  is  possible  to  calculate 
the  amount  of  money  which  must  be  spent  now  for 
these  four  big  items  to  correspond  to  the  expenditure 
which  the  previous  investigator  allowed  under  then- 
current  price  conditions.  Expenditures  for  housing, 
fuel  and  hght,  food,  and  clothing  comprise  practically 
80  per  cent  of  the  total  household  budget. 

Of  the  other  items  in  the  budget,  carfare  remained 
practically  stationary  through  the  range  of  years  with 
which  we  are  dealing,  and  recreation  and  amusements 
probably  experienced  no  great  advance  in  cost.  The 
remaining  items — health;  furniture  and  fixtures;  taxes, 
dues  and  contributions;  education  and  reading;  in- 
surance; cleaning  supplies  and  services;  miscellaneous 
expenditures — comprise  expenditures  for  things  that 
we  beheve  from  experience  vary  in  price  about  in 
proportion  to  the  combined  variation  of  the  four  big 
items  in  the  budget;  or  else  expenditures  for  services, 
the  cost  of  which  should  fluctuate  with  the  cost  of 
li\'ing.2  Revision  of  these  seven  items  may  therefore 
be  accomplished  by  applying  to  each  the  ratio  obtained 
by  dividing  the  total  revised  cost  of  housing,  fuel  and 
light,  food,  and  clothing  by  the  total  original  cost  of 
the  same  major  items. 

Applying  these  processes  to  Chapin's  budget  of 
$906.70 — on  which  he  beheved  a  family  of  five  could 
"get  along"  in  1907— the  1918  equivalent  of  that 
figure  is  found  to  be  $1,625.    This  figure,  be  it  remem- 

*  "War-Time  Changes  in  the  Cost  of  Living",  National  Industrial 
Conference  Board,  1918. 

2  See  discussion  of  this  point  on  pages  43  and  46. 


Introduction  7 

bered,  does  not  include  the  full  increase  in  living  costs 
that  took  place  between  1907  and  191 4- 

Still  further  Ught  on  this  point  may  be  gained  by 
referring  to  a  local  investigation  made  among  Ken- 
sington millworkers  during  part  of  1913  and  1914  by 
Dr.  W.  J.  H.  Cotton  and  Dr.  E.  L.  Little.  As  the 
result  of  a  careful  inquiry  these  investigators  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  a  budget  of  $1,069.94  was  then 
necessary  to  enable  a  family  of  five  persons  to  main- 
tain a  fair  standard  of  Hving.  By  bringing  this  allow- 
ance down  to  date  in  the  same  manner  as  we  did  the 
Chapin  figure,  we  find  its  1918  equivalent  to  be  $1,751. 

The  latest  official  estimate  in  this  field  has  been 
made  by  the  cost  of  living  department  of  the  National 
War  Labor  Board.  This  department  found  that  in 
June,  1918,  the  cost  of  a  "minimum  comfort"  budget 
for  a  family  of  five  in  the  larger  eastern  cities  was 
$1,760  per  year. 

It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  the  old  figures  on 
family  Hving  costs  do  not  hold  to-day  any  more  than 
the  old  prices  of  beef,  coal,  or  shoes.  In  thinking  of  a 
living  wage  we  must  dismiss  these  figures  completely 
from  our  minds.  We  have  become  accustomed  to  new 
prices  of  cominodities  and  we  must  accustom  ourselves 
to  the  new  cost  of  maintaining  a  family  household. 
Although  $1,636  is  higher  than  the  Chapin  figure  of 
1907,  it  is  not  relatively  higher  than  present  day  price 
levels  are  higher  than  those  of  1907.  We  are  simply 
face  to  face  with  a  cold,  unpleasant  fact. 

Application  of  Findings 

At  this  point  we  ought  to  consider  the  practical 
appUcation  of  the  wage  rate  herein  suggested.  In  the 
first  place  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  wage  rate 


8     WorMngmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

is  the  lowest  that  will  make  possible  a  fair  standard  of 
living,  and,  therefore,  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  basic  or 
minimum  rate  and  not  as  a  maximum.  Five  dollars 
and  forty-five  cents  a  day  may  insure  a  fair  standard 
for  a  bricklayer's  family,  but  this  fact  should  not  pre- 
vent him  from  receiving  a  daily  wage  in  excess  of  $5.45. 

In  the  second  place,  this  wage  rate  is  intended  to 
apply  to  manual  workers  only.  The  professional  or 
clerical  worker  is  not  in  the  same  need  of  a  basic  wage 
to  protect  his  standard  of  living,  for  he  usually  has 
opportunities  of  advancing  rapidly  beyond  his  initial 
salary  which  the  manual  worker  has  not.  A  young 
engineer,  for  example,  might  accept  employment  as 
rodman  or  draftsman  at  less  than  $1,000  a  year,  but 
he  would  have  before  him  the  prospect  of  early  ad- 
vancement to  higher  rates  of  pay.  He  could,  in  fact, 
look  forward  with  reasonable  certainty  to  a  maximum 
income  at  least  twice  as  large  as  the  salary  he  accepted 
at  the  outset  of  his  career.  A  laborer,  however,  has 
no  such  prospect  and  must  depend  for  his  standard  of 
hving  upon  a  wage  that  will  remain  relatively  uniform 
throughout  his  life. 

In  the  third  place,  the  question  of  how  soon  the 
living  wage  rate  should  be  put  into  effect  calls  for 
consideration.  It  is  not  possible  to  answer  this  ques- 
tion dogmatically.  The  ideal  thing  to  do,  of  course, 
would  be  to  bring  all  manual  workers  now  receiving 
less  than  a  living  wage  up  to  that  level  inomediately. 
Even  the  practical  thing,  however,  ought  not  to  in- 
volve any  protracted  delay  in  bringing  greater  justice 
to  those  city  workers  who  are  underpaid.  Having 
passed  through  the  ordeal  of  a  world  war  waged  in  the 
name  of  democracy,  we  are  now  entering  upon  a  period 
of  reconstruction.    During  this  period  we  may  expect 


Introduction  9 

many  readjustments  in  response  to  the  general  feeling 
that  after  the  war  conditions  of  living  must  be  made 
better  than  they  were  before  or  during  the  war.  One 
of  the  very  first  readjustments  of  this  kind  ought  to 
be  the  adoption  and  practical  appUcation  of  the  living 
wage  principle.  The  city  worker  and  his  family  who 
have  suffered  before  the  war  and  endured  even  more 
during  the  war  because  of  inadequate  wages,  ought 
not  to  be  asked,  now  that  the  war  is  over,  to  continue 
to  suffer  any  longer  than  the  unavoidable  difficulties 
of  the  situation  necessitate. 

Next  Steps 

In  presenting  our  findings  and  conclusions  to  the 
city  officials  primarily  interested  in  them,  and  to  the 
public  at  large,  we  do  so  fully  realizing  that  our  present 
contribution  is  only  a  beginning  in  the  solution  of  a 
difficult  problem.  We  are,  therefore,  suggesting  the 
following  next  steps  as  part  of  a  broad  program  to  be 
developed  in  the  course  of  time: 

1.  That  the  city  government  of  Philadelphia, 
acting  through  the  finance  committee  of  council 
or  through  the  civil  service  commission,  adopt 
the  standard  of  living  herein  outlined  as  a  basis 
for  ascertaining  currently  the  amount  of  a  living 
wage  for  manual  workers. 

2.  That  the  cost  of  this  standard  be  ascertained 
at  least  once  a  year  by  the  city  government, 
preferably  just  before  budget-making  time. 

3.  That  in  fixing  the  wages  of  manual  workers 
above  apprentice  grade  no  wage  be  made  lower 
than  the  ascertained  cost  of  this  standard. 

4.  That  at  least  once  in  five  years  a  new  in- 
vestigation be  made  with  a  view  of  modifying  the 


10     WorkingmeWs  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

standard  so  that  it  will  conform  to  any  changes 
which  may  have  taken  place  in  the  living  stand- 
ards of  workingmen's  families. 

5.  That  standards  of  hving  similar  in  general 
outhne  to  the  one  herein  suggested  for  manual 
workers  be  devised  for  other  occupational  groups 
to  serve  as  a  basis  for  adjusting  the  rates  of  com- 
pensation applying  to  these  groups. 


CHAPTER  II 

HOW  OUR  FACTS  WERE  OBTAINED 

Discussion  of  the  findings  of  this  investigation  prop- 
erly begins  with  a  statement  of  the  method  that  was 
employed.  Not  only  are  the  findings  better  understood 
in  the  hght  of  a  statement  of  method,  but  upon  the 
correctness  of  the  method  hinges  the  whole  value  of 
the  findings. 

The  Selection  of  Families 

Since  our  quest  in  this  investigation  was  for  the  re- 
quirements of  a  faij"  standard  of  living  rather  than 
for  a  picture  of  living  conditions  in  general,  we  confined 
ourselves  to  famiUes  that  were  self-supporting,  but 
whose  principal  breadwinner  did  not  earn  more  than 
$2,000  a  year.  Within  these  limits,  no  distinctions 
were  made  as  to  race  or  nationahty.  Families  of  skilled 
and  unskilled  laborers  were  preferred,  but  famihes  of 
breadwinners  engaged  in  other  occupations  were  in- 
cluded if  the  families  qualified  in  other  respects.  No 
family  was  chosen  in  which  there  were  no  children 
under  income-earning  age. 

The  actual  selection  of  families  was  made  in  two  ways. 
For  a  time  various  clergymen  having  parishes  in  the 
industrial  sections  of  the  city  were  asked  to  suggest 
famiUes  of  their  acquaintance  that  conformed  to  our 
requirements.  In  most  cases,  the  clergyman  sent  a 
letter  to  each  of  the  famiUes  designated  by  him,  an- 
nouncing  that   an   investigator   from   the  Bureau   of 

II 


12    Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Municipal  Research  would  probably  call  in  a  few  days, 
and  explaining  briefly  the  nature  and  purpose  of  the 
inquiry. 

The  disadvantage  of  this  method  was  that  frequently 
the  famihes  suggested  to  us  Uved  far  apart  and  a  dis- 
proportionate amount  of  time  was  consumed  in  going 
from  place  to  place.  Later,  therefore,  our  investigators 
simply  went  into  industrial  neighborhoods  and  there 
called  upon  different  famihes  at  random.  If  a  family 
was  not  sufficiently  typical  for  our  purpose,  the  inquiry 
was  not  pressed,  but  in  the  case  of  families  that  did 
seem  suitable  it  was  carried  to  completion.  This 
enabled  the  investigators  to  concentrate  their  efforts  in 
single  locahties,  with  a  minimum  loss  of  time  in  transit. 

The  Schedule 

The  schedule  used  in  this  investigation  was  pat- 
terned very  largely  upon  the  Chapin  model.  Our 
reason  for  adopting  this  form,  in  preference  to  any 
other,  is  that  the  Chapin  schedule  lends  itself  most 
readily  to  a  detailed  inquiry. 

The  Chapin  schedule,  however,  was  not  adopted 
without  modification.  In  the  first  place,  the  classifica- 
tion of  expenditm-es  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of 
"cleaning  supplies  and  services".  This  was  done  in 
order  to  segregate  more  distinctly  all  expenditures 
relating  to  personal  and  home  cleanhness. 

In  the  second  place,  more  emphasis  was  given  to 
securing  "quantity"  data.  For  example,  under  the 
food  classification,  our  schedule  calls  for  the  yearly 
quantity  of  each  article  of  food  purchased  as  well  as 
for  the  yearly  cost,  whereas  the  Chapin  schedule 
provides  no  ready  method  for  ascertaining  the  yearly 
quantity. 


How  our  Facts  were  Obtained  13 

In  the  third  place,  our  schedule  calls  for  slightly 
more  detail  regarding  certain  forms  of  expenditure, 
such  as  cleaning  supplies,  furniture  and  furnishings, 
food,  and  clothing. 

A  change  also  was  made  in  the  time  basis  for  cal- 
culating food  purchases.  The  Chapin  schedule  adheres 
rigidly  to  the  weekly  basis,  the  annual  cost  being  as- 
certained by  multiplying  the  housewife's  estimate 
by  52.  We  found,  however,  that  in  many  cases  the 
housewife  did  not  think  in  terms  of  weeks  and  that 
information  could  be  obtained  more  rapidly  as  well 
as  more  accurately  by  permitting  her  to  use  whatever 
time  basis  she  preferred,  whether  it  was  a  week,  a  day, 
a  month,  or  some  other  period.  We,  therefore,  intro- 
duced into  the  food  section  an  extra  column  labeled, 
''Period  of  Time",  in  which  was  indicated  the  time 
basis  of  the  estimate. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  several  minor  altera- 
tions were  made  in  the  Chapin  schedule;  some  of  them 
in  order  to  conform  more  accurately  to  Philadelphia 
conditions,  as  in  the  housing  section,  and  others  for 
the  sake  of  greater  clearness,  as  in  the  case  of  savings 
and  borrowings. 

In  all  cases  the  estimates  of  family  expenditures 
were  made  for  the  12  months  just  preceding  our  visit. 
This  period  naturally  was  fresher  in  the  housewife's 
mind  than  any  earlier  period  would  have  been.  The 
actual  collection  of  field  data  began  on  August  15, 
1917,  and  continued  for  9  months  until  JMay  15,  1918, 
so  that  the  various  family  schedules  represent  expendi- 
tures for  overlapping  aimual  periods  between  August  15, 
1916,  and  May  15,  1918,  a  space  of  21  months.  If  our 
primary  object  had  been  a  comparison  of  contemporary 
hving  costs,  it  would  have  been  a  disadvantage  not  to 


14     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

have  our  facts  relate  to  precisely  the  same  period. 
Since,  however,  our  primary  object  was  a  comparison, 
not  of  living  costs,  but  of  actual  consumption  and 
utilization  of  goods  and  services,  no  such  disadvantage 
exists. 

The  Account-Book  Records 

In  order  to  supplement  the  estimates  of  yeariy 
expenditures,  effort  was  made  to  induce  as  many 
famihes  as  possible  to  keep  account-book  records. 
At  first  our  hope  was  to  secure  a  substantial  number  of 
detailed  records  covering  an  entire  year,  which  would 
serve  as  a  general  check  upon  our  estimates,  but  this 
hope  was  not  fully  realized.  Most  of  the  housewives 
who  started  keeping  accounts  did  not  continue  to  do 
so  after  the  first  month  or  two,  although  one  persevering 
woman  did  not  relinquish  her  task  until  the  end  of 
six  months.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  account-book 
data  did  not  cover  a  sufficiently  long  period  to  furnish 
a  basis  for  calculating  those  expenditures  that  do  not 
occur  frequently  and  at  regular  intervals.  Clothing, 
for  example,  is  usually  bought  so  irregularly  that  an 
expenditures-record  extending  over  only  one  or  two 
months  would  give  us  no  adequate  conception  of  a 
family's  annual  clothing  budget.  Many  weeks  might 
pass  without  any  clothing  purchases  whatever,  even 
though  the  total  acquisitions  for  the  year  might  be 
fairly  large. 

This  is  not  true  of  food.  In  practically  all  working- 
men's  households  the  table  is  supphed  from  day  to  day, 
and  from  week  to  week,  in  such  a  manner  that  food 
purchases  and  actual  food  consumption  approximate 
each  other  in  a  very  short  time.  It  was  therefore  as- 
sumed in  this  inquiry  that  when  an  account-book  had 


How  our  Facts  were  Obtained  15 

been  kept  for  at  least  three  weeks  the  food  items  re- 
corded therein  would  represent  with  satisfactory  ac- 
curacy the  quantity  of  food  actually  consumed  during 
the  period  covered  by  the  record. 

In  all,  31  families  furnished  us  with  account-books 
that  had  been  kept  for  the  required  minimum  period 
and  that  proved  acceptable  in  other  ways.  The  records 
thus  obtained  proved  of  great  value  in  supplementing 
our  food  estimates,  wliich  were  naturally  the  most  sub- 
ject to  error,  and  were  therefore  most  in  need  of  addi- 
tional supporting  data. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  Cotton  and  Dr.  Little, 
we  were  enabled  to  make  use  of  still  another  source  of 
information  on  food  consumption.  Their  study  among 
Kensington  millworkers,  to  which  we  have  already  re- 
ferred, was  made  by  the  account-book  method,  and 
all  the  original  data  had  been  preserved  and  were  very 
kindly  placed  at  our  disposal.  Of  these  we  selected  the 
account-books  of  four  different  families  and  made  an 
analysis  of  the  food  purchases  therein  itemized.  The 
chief  value  of  this  information  is  that  it  reflects  in  some 
measure  the  food  habits  of  workingmen's  families  during 
the  period  just  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  great  war, 
and  thus  affords  an  opportunity  of  comparing  them  with 
the  food  habits  that  obtained  during  the  period  of  our 
investigation. 

Degree  of  Accuracy 

It  is  not  possible  to  claim  absolute  accuracy  either 
for  the  estimates  of  household  expenditures  or  for  the 
account-book  data.  As  a  previous  investigator  of  note 
has  well  put  it,  "We  cannot,  in  inquiries  of  this  kind, 
expect  to  be  able  to  give  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth.    All  we  can  hope  to  arrive 


IG     Workingmeyi's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

at  is  the  truth,  nearly  all  the  truth,  and  very  httle 
but  the  truth."  We  would  be  presumptuous  indeed  to 
claim  more  for  our  results. 

In  estimating  expenditures,  much  naturally  depends 
upon  the  intelligence  and  good  faith  of  the  housewife 
who  is  giving  the  information.  If  the  housewife  is  not 
thoroughly  familiar  with  her  affairs,  it  is  not  possible, 
of  course,  for  her  to  make  a  reliable  statement  of  the 
family's  earnings  and  expenses.  It  is  noteworthy, 
however,  that  relatively  few  housewives  wxre  en- 
countered who  did  not  seem  to  possess  a  ready  knowl- 
edge of  the  things  we  wanted  to  know.  This  may  be 
explained  partly  by  the  fact  that  we  limited  our  in- 
quiry to  self-supporting  famihes  and  thus  probably 
came  in  touch  with  only  the  more  intelligent  women. 
Furthermore,  the  fact  that  every  cent  constantly  must 
go  for  something  sorely  needed,  tends  to  reduce  the 
great  bulk  of  expenditures  in  workmgmen's  households 
to  a  routine  character,  so  that  they  are  more  easily 
remembered  than  are  those  of  famihes  with  higher 
incomes,  in  which  spending  may  be  more  indiscrimi- 
nate. As  for  the  good  faith  of  the  housewives  m  giving 
information,  it  can  only  be  said  that  most  of  the  women 
interviewed  seemed  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the 
inquiry  and  showed  no  signs  of  wilful  deception. 

A  great  deal,  too,  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which 
estimates  are  obtained.  If  the  questions  in  the  sched- 
ule are  too  general,  the  average  housewife,  not  having 
kept  classified  accounts,  will  be  unable  to  answer  them 
with  any  degree  of  certainty.  Only  the  exceptional 
woman  would  be  able  to  state  offhand  how  much  she 
spends  for,  let  us  say,  household  cleaning  suppHes.  She 
would  have  to  stop  to  think  of  a  considerable  number 
of  detailed  items  that  must  be  mcluded  in  an  estimate 


How  our  Facts  were  Obtained  1.7 

of  the  total,  and  there  is  always  the  danger  of  forgetting 
some  of  them.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  question- 
naire or  schedule  is  sufficiently  detailed  to  anticipate 
nearly  all  possible  items  of  expenditure,  the  housewife's 
task  of  estimating  is  greatly  simplified  and  her  estimates 
are  more  hkely  to  be  correct.  While  she  may  not  be 
able  to  tell  us  what  she  spends  annually  for  household 
cleaning  supplies,  she  will  know  quite  definitely  how 
much  laundry  soap  she  uses  per  week  or  per  month, 
and  what  price  she  pays  per  bar.  She  would  possess 
the  same  information  with  regard  to  starch,  bluing, 
floor  oil,  cleanser,  scouring  soap,  and  in  fact,  all  the 
remaining  articles  that  come  logically  under  the  head- 
ing of  household  cleaning  supplies.  In  other  words, 
she  would  be  able  to  give  us  in  detail  what  she  could 
not  give  in  summarized  form. 

The  schedule  used  in  this  inquiry  was  distinctly 
detailed  rather  than  general  in  character.  That  it  has 
made  for  greater  accuracy  in  our  estimates,  we  have 
no  doubt.  It  was  not  at  all  unusual  to  have  a  house- 
wife tell  the  investigator  at  the  begimiing  of  the  inter- 
view that  she  ''simply  could  not  give  all  the  information 
wanted",  and  then,  upon  being  induced  to  try,  and 
after  ha\4ng  answered  the  long  fist  of  specific  questions 
contained  in  the  schedule,  exclaim,  ''Why,  I  never 
thought  that  I  would  be  able  to  tell  you  all  this!" 

As  a  general  safeguard  against  inaccurate  estimates, 
only  those  schedules  were  accepted  that  showed  a  fair 
degree  of  internal  consistency.  If,  after  comparing 
the  amount  of  money  expended  plus  the  amount 
saved  (if  any),  with  the  amount  reported  available 
from  all  sources,  there  appeared  a  discrepancy  of  more 
than  5  per  cent  of  the  annual  income,  the  schedule 
was   rejected.     If    this   discrepancy   was  5  per   cent, 


18     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

or  less,  of  the  annual  income,  the  schedule  was  accepted. 
In  many  cases  the  percentage  of  discrepancy  was  as 
low  as  1  per  cent,  and  in  one  schedule  the  actual 
amount  of  discrepancy  was  only  one  cent! 

It  may  prove  helpful  to  those  who  are  interested  in 
special  phases  of  family  budgets,  to  give  them  the 
benefit  of  our  opinion  as  to  the  relative  accuracy  of  our 
data  for  the  different  classes  of  expenditures.  This 
may  be  done  by  grouping  these  classes  under  the 
headings  of  ''accurate",  ''fairly  accurate",  and  "only 
approximate".  By  hsting  a  class  of  expenditures  as 
"accurate"  we  mean  that  we  beUeve  the  housewife's 
statement  of  those  expenditures  does  not  vary  from 
the  amount  actually  spent  by  more  than  the  degree 
of  error  usual  in  ordinary  bookkeeping  practice.  Under 
"fairly  accurate"  are  included  all  classes  of  expendi- 
tures that  cannot  be  called  "accurate",  but  that  will 
fall  within  a  5  per  cent  margin  of  error.  Those 
classes  that  may  be  in  error  beyond  the  5  per  cent 
margin  are  Hsted  as  "only  approximate".  The  group- 
ing follows: 


Accurate 

Fairly  Accurate 

Only  Approx- 
imate 

Housing 

Fuel  and   light 

Education    and 

reading 
Insurance 

Clothing 
Health 

Furniture  and  furnishings 
Taxes,  dues  and  contributions 
Recreation,  vacation  and  amuse- 
ments 
Carfare 
Cleaning  supplies  and  services 

Food 

Miscellaneous 
expenditures 

Several  of  these  classes  are  on  the  borderUne  be- 
tween "accurate"  and  "fairly  accurate".  This  is  true 
of  "fuel  and  Ught"  which  is  "accurate"  in  case  of  the 


How  our  Facts  were  Obtained  19 

great  majority  of  families,  but  probably  only  ''fairly 
accurate"  in  case  of  the  small  minority  who  reported 
coal  purchases  by  the  bucket  and  whose  expenditures 
for  light  were  uncertain.  ''Health",  on  the  other 
hand,  is  given  above  as  "fairly  accurate",  but  in  case 
of  many  families  could  go  as  "accurate".  "Carfare" 
also  appears  as  "fairly  accurate",  but  with  only  a 
slight  stretching  of  definition  it  might  be  called  "ac- 
curate". 

Analysis  of  Data 

In  analyzing  the  data  secured  from  famihes,  special 
emphasis  was  placed  upon  quantities.  Our  endeavor 
throughout  was  to  secure  a  statement,  not  only  of  the 
average  amount  of  money  spent  by  the  famihes  in- 
vestigated, but  particularly  of  the  average  quantities 
of  goods  consumed  and  of  services  utihzed.  In  case  of 
clothing,  for  example,  a  separate  tabulation  was  made 
for  each  specific  kind  of  wearing  apparel,  showing  for 
each  person  the  nmnber  of  each  kind  of  articles  worn 
annually  and  their  cost,  and  for  the  aggregate,  the  aver- 
age number  of  articles  worn  annually.  This  enabled  us 
to  arrive  at  such  statements  as  the  average  mmiber  of 
pairs  of  shoes  worn  annually  by  the  heads  of  famihes, 
the  average  number  of  shirtwaists  worn  annually  by 
the  wives,  and  the  average  nimiber  of  hats  worn  an- 
nually by  boys  between  the  ages  of  11  and  14. 

Some  items  of  expense,  of  course,  could  not  readily 
be  expressed  in  terms  of  quantities  used  and  therefore 
had  to  be  tabulated  in  terms  of  costs  only.  Among 
these  are  health;  taxes,  dues  and  contributions;  recre- 
ation and  amusements;  and  other  similar  fonns  of 
expenditures.  Such  items,  however,  constitute  but 
a  small  proportion  of  the  family  budget  as  a  whole. 


20     Worhing7nc7i's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

A  word  should  be  said  with  regard  to  the  analysis 
of  food.  Since  the  dietary  habits  of  different  fainiUes 
vary  considerably,  a  basis  for  comparing  food  con- 
sumption can  be  obtained  only  by  reducing  all  food 
articles  purchased  to  a  common  denominator,  the 
calorie.  This  was  done  by  use  of  approved  tables 
showing  the  nutritive  value  of  different  food  products. 
At  the  same  time,  it  was  necessary,  on  account  of  the 
varying  food  requirements  of  persons  of  different 
sexes  and  ages,  to  express  these  requirements  for  family 
groups  in  terms  of  a  common  unit  of  measure,  the 
man-unit.  This  was  done  by  use  of  the  following 
schedule  of  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  in 
which  the  relative  food  requirements  of  men  and 
women  engaged  in  different  kinds  of  work,  and  of 
children  of  different  ages,  are  set  forth  in  percentages 
of  the  needs  of  a  man  at  moderately  active  muscular 
work.^ 

Man: 

At  hard  muscular  work 120  per  cent 

At  moderately  active  muscular  work 100    "      " 

At  light  muscular  work 90    "       " 

Sedentary  occupation 80    "      " 

Man  or  Woman: 

Old  age 90    "      " 

Extreme  old  age 70-80    "      " 

WoTnan: 

At  moderately  active  work 80    "      " 

AtUghtwork 70    "      " 

Boy: 

15-16  years 100  "  " 

13-14  years 90  "  " 

12  years 70  "  " 

10-11  years 60  "  " 

*  Monthly  Review  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  Vol.  5, 
No.  6,  December  1917,  pp.  6-7. 


How  our  Facts  were  Obtained  21 

Girl: 

15-16  years 90  per  cent 

13-14  years 70    "      " 

10-12  years 60    "      " 

Child: 

6-9  years 50  "  " 

2-5  years 40  "  " 

Under  2  years 30  "  " 

Having  expressed  all  food  articles  in  terms  of  calories 
and  the  food  requirements  of  all  families  in  terms  of 
man-units,  it  was  possible  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
calories  consumed  per  man-unit  and  thus  to  compare 
the  food  consumption  of  one  group  of  families  with 
that  of  another  group  of  famihes.  It  was  possible, 
also,  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  food  purchases 
reported  by  the  families  investigated  provided  the 
amount  of  nourishment  that  authorities  hold  neces- 
sary for  health  and  efficiency. 

The  Staff 

The  field  work  in  this  study  was  done  entirely  by 
two  women  both  of  whom  had  had  previous  experience 
in  social  work.  With  a  larger  corps  of  investigators  the 
collection  of  data  might  have  been  completed  in  a 
shorter  period,  but  there  would  have  been  less  con- 
sistency in  the  methods  used  and  the  results  would 
have  been  the  product  of  relatively  less  experience  in 
this  speciaHzed  task.  The  number  of  persons  employed 
in  checking  and  analyzing  field  data  varied  consider- 
ably in  different  stages  of  the  investigation  and  was 
made  up  of  both  regular  and  volunteer  workers.  At 
first  only  one  person  gave  full  time  to  the  clerical 
work,  but  later  others  were  added  until  a  maximum 
number  of  five  was  reached.  A  senior  member  of  the 
staff  had  charge  of  the  entire  study. 


CHAPTER  III 

A  GLIMPSE  AT  OUR  FAMILIES 

There  are  many  things  that  we  should  Uke  to  tell 
about  the  260  families  whose  generous  co-operation  has 
made  this  report  possible,  but  limitation  of  space 
confines  us  to  a  few  of  the  more  significant  facts. 

Where   They  Lived 

All  our  famdlies  lived  within  the  city  limits  of  Phil- 
adelpliia,  distributed  among  the  different  sections  of 
the  city  as  follows: 

West  Philadelphia 53 

Kensington 43 

North  Philadelphia 43 

South  Philadelphia 24 

Southwest  Philadelphia 21 

Central  Philadelpliia 19 

Frankford 10 

Tioga 10 

Frapcisville 8 

East  Germantown 6 

Northeast  Philadelphia 6 

lliclimond 6 

Manayuxik 6 

Falls  of  Schuylkill 2 

Harrowgate 2 

Logan 1 

Wissahickon 1 

Total 260 

Their  Nalionaliiy 

Most  of  our  families  were  American  born.  The 
following  shows  their  distribution  by  nationaUty  as 
determined  by  the  birthplace  of  the  husband: 

22 


A  Glimpse  at  our  Families  23 

United  States 203 

Ireland 27 

England 10 

Germany 9 

Italy 3 

Sweden 2 

HoUand 1 

Hungary 1 

Norway 1 

Poland 1 

Russia 1 

Scotland 1 

Total 260 


By  going  back  one  generation  to  the  fathers  of 
American  bom  husbands,  we  find  that  the  203  families 
accredited  to  the  United  States  are  distributed  as 
follows: 

United  States 163 

Ireland 16 

Germany 10 

England 4 

Unknown 4 

France 2 

Wales 2 

Italy 1 

Roumania 1 

Total 203 

Membership  of  Families 

In  view  of  our  choice  of  a  standard  family  of  five, 
that  is,  the  parents  and  three  children  under  income- 
earning  age,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  average 
number  of  children  per  family  included  in  this  investi- 
gation is  3.03,  making  our  actual  average  family  only 
slightly  larger  than  five.  By  eliminating  from  our 
count  the  children  16  years  of  age  and  over,  we  obtain 
an  average  per  family  of  2.82  children  under  income- 


24     Workingvien's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

earning  age,  which  corresponds  closely  to  the  number 
assumed  in  the  standard  family. 

Their  Occupations 

As  sho^^Ti  in  Table  1,  most  of  our  families  were  those 
of  less  skilled  and  unskilled  wage-earners.  A  consid- 
erable proportion  belong  in  the  skilled  labor  group  and 
a  few  are  classified  as  professional  and  clerical.  The 
occupational  distribution  according  to  the  latest  U.  S. 
Census  classification  is  as  follows: 

Agriculture,  forestry,  and  animal  husbandry. ...  1 

Manufacturing  and  mechanical  industries 158 

Transportation 38 

Trade 10 

Public  service  (not  elsewhere  classified) 18 

Professional  service 3 

Domestic  and  personal  service 7 

Clerical  occupations 25 

Total 260 


aaoqt) 
pnv 

OOGli' 

T-H 

I— 1 

00 

!,-(!!i!!^""'''-ii-H-- 

66Sl$ 
-OOSl$ 

o 

1-H 

t^ 

6611$ 
-001T$ 

00           • 

■*    • 

;!!!!!!!! i— i    • 

6691$ 
-0091$ 

OS 

lO       • 

.     . j—i    • 

669  J  $ 
-0091$ 

00 
I— ( 

Q^        '.   ^        '.'.'.'.'...■   T-l   r-l        ■   y-l        ■•■        ■ 

66fT$ 
-00fl$ 

00            • 

CO  y-^ 
1—1 

.,—1     .     -1—1     .     -1—1     -1-1 

66SIS 
-OOSl$ 

I— ( 

:  ^   ;   !   ;   !   i   .   .  th  1-1 1-1   •   •   •   •   ; 

66^1$ 
-00$ 1$ 

00      • 

:    :    :  ^   :    :    :    :  ^    •  (N    :   •   j   •  (N    J 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

Oi       ■ 

;  ,-1       '.   '.  T-{   '•   '•   ■   ■   ■   •  1-H   •   •  1-i  ^ 

660  T$ 
-0001$ 

a> 

CO 

IM      ■ 

;,-i   '.   '.   '.   '.   i(M     c^   -i-iT-i 

666$ 
-006$ 

o      .-H  T-i      co- 
co                  --1 

■    tH ■ 

668$ 
-008$ 

CO 

I— 1 

00      • 

1—1 

661$ 
-001$ 

1—1 

t^    • 

1—1 '.'.'. 

669$ 
-009$ 

-* 

<*     • 

o 
H 

O           ,-HrH             COr-<rHCO'-H'-H(M'-H>-l(N'-t(NGC'-lO'-H'-ICO'-H 

CD                            »0 

m 
O 

g 
O 

O 

T 

e 

0 

0 

C 

c 

1 

1 

;  J 

!    \ 

< 

i 

3 
3 

3 

3 
3 

3 
3 

: 

4 

»^ 

Q 

L) 

H 

t 
_    6 

il 

a 

•  t 
;        a 

c 

c 
;        c. 

■      'c 

c. 
a 

:     £ 

;       c 

•  t 
c 

I  J 

■ 
• 
• 
: 

• 

: 

:     . 
1     . 
} 
1 

\     '. 

it 

3  a 

3  *< 

H 

-< 

£■•••:::::::::::: 
1   ;;;::::::::::::   : 
.a   ::::::::::::::   — 

"C ' 

+3 

'^   '.::'.'.'.'■'.'■'•'•'■'•'•   • 
a    :    .    : 

S:^::^i^::;i:-2!2 

a     '     ■     '          •          •     .          ..••o.o) 

a  :|   -^-i   :«   :-S   :   :   -il  :i 

25 


9ioqv 

pUD 

0061$ 

1— ( 

T-H 

c« 

j 

6681$ 
-0081$ 

1— ( 

i-H 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

I-H 

(M 

669  J  $ 
-0091$ 

- 

(N 

I-H 

6691$ 
-0091$ 

C^l 

<N 

I-H 

66flS 
-00fJ$ 

T-H     I— 1 

i-H    I-H 

i-H 

':-^ 

I-H    T-H 

66SIS- 
-OOk'IS 

T-H 

rH    I-H    (N    (M 

<N 

T-H 

I-H 

66S[$ 
-0031$ 

I-H    ,-H    (M 

lO    T-H    I-H    I-H 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

I-H    i-H 

I-H 

i-H 

CO        •    ^ 

1-H 

-^ 

6601$ 
-  0001$ 

1—1 

I-H    I-H 

I-H  CO  <N      • 

T-H 

I-H 

I-H  cq 

666$ 
-006$ 

T-H 

i-H 

1-H    I-H 

lO 

I-H 

^ 

668$ 
-008$ 

''J^ 

tH 

I-H 

661S 
-001$ 

Tf    I-H 

-^ 

669$ 
-009$ 

I-H 

1-H 

I-H 

< 

H 
O 

■-iO'-i>-i'*'-HTtHkOI^<N'-l'-Hr^-<*»OTt<(M(N'-i.-i(Mi-(iX! 

00 

•A 

O 
H 

•< 
b 
D 

o 

O 

O 

a 

"E 
a 
C 

0 

c 

0 

(■ 

a 
'c 

c 

0 

(- 

c 
.  ,r 
.    a 

'c 

■  t: 

c 

J   c 

1 

5 

) 

'    I 

I 

a. 

E 

t- 

'5 

c 

i      I 

c 

->  -1- 

c 

'     0. 

i 

1— 

•  a 

•  t- 
1  a 

;  c 

)  £: 
I.  c 

c 

1— 

1/ 

a 
i- 
c 

9. 

•  ^ 

C 

>^ 
;■ 
C 

■^ 

c 
c 

1- 

! 

c 
'   a 

ll 

■   (. 
,   c 

i1 

a 

'   a 

b  £ 
;  c 

'1 

a 

0- 

c 
a. 

>  c 

c 

,    a 

r 

■  a 

•    (. 

■  a 

.  -!< 
.    «- 

C 

:  & 
:  i 

i    o: 

z 

:  z 

;  a 

3  <>■ 

a 

a 

i  2 

2 

cr 

(■ 
a 

■.i 

•  t 

'■  .E 

•  ^ 

;   C 

•  t: 

•  c 

•  o 
J    b 

<  e 

\'i 

0 

i 

D 

26 


o 


Q 


o 

< 

P 
U 
O 

O 


n 


aooqo 

pnv 

0061$ 

1 

T-* 

•  I— 1 

6681$ 
-008  J $ 

•  (M  CJ 

1— 1 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

(N 

»H 

6691$ 
-0091$ 

(M 

•    »-H 

6691$ 
-0091$ 

(N 

T— ( 

1—1 

66fJ$ 
-00tl$ 

(N 

(N 

66ST$ 
-OOSl$ 

t-H 

■* 

I— 1 

1—1 

66«T$ 
-OOSli 

rH 

T— 1 

66  J 1$ 
-0011$ 

1— 1 

(N  .H 

-* 

1— ( 

I— (  1—1 

1—1 

6601$ 
-0001$ 

l-H 

1— (    r-( 
1— 1 

CO  lO 

1—1 

666$ 
-006$ 

I— 1 

1— 1     T-(     tH     1—1 

.-H            ■<* 

CO    l-H 

668$ 
-008$ 

1-t 

CO 

(N 

^ 

-- 

— 

— 

661$ 
-001$ 

(N 

l-H 

rH 

669$ 
-009$ 

1-H 

1— li— (lO'^i-HOO'-Hi— <i— li-H          OOi-Hi— lOiOCO'-HCOC^l'— ii— ii— 1 
CO                        >-l 

m 

g 
u 

O 

1 

c 
PC 

z 

a. 

<L 

a 

C 
•5 
c 
a 

c: 
C 
C 

c 

C 

_o 

1- 

a 

1 

c 

C 

o 

e 

a, 
c 
c 

CO 

a 

0. 

> 

-i 

C 

_c 

0 

1- 
C 

a 

C 
o; 

t- 

t 

a 

>- 

P3 

c 
a, 

s 

a 

c3 
o 

m 
o 

o 

C 
O 
O 

> 

c 
c 

s 

> 

s 

1 

C! 
a- 

e 

C 
-  C 

o 
c 

'c 

C 

o 
c 

1 

c3 

c 

s 

02 

o 

o 

27 


Moqo 

puv 

ooeit 

: 

: 

668  It 
-008  It 

>— 1 

l-H 

6611 1 
-Wilt 

•  i-< 

6691 1 
-009  It 

•  I-l             fl 

•  I^ 

669  J  t 
-009  It 

W    rH    —t 

^ 

•  I— ( 

66V  It 
-OOVlt 

iM 

•    .— 1    rH 

O  (N 

•  M 

•    »-l   f-H 

66Slt 
-OOSlt 

(N 

<N 

•!—<•>-<                            l-H 

•    l-H 

669  It 
-OOSlt 

(N 

■    l-H    I— 1 

f-H 

■  I— 1 

66llt 
-OOllt 

1— ( 

;^ 

(N 

•  I-l 

l-H 

660  J  t 

-oooit 

r-t 

CO  rH 

I— 1    l-H 

666t 

-ooet 

<N  .-< 

I— ( 

668t 

-oost 

eeit 
-ooit 

»-H    1— ( 

669t 
-009t 

< 

r^fO— c                 O— ifMCCfO— c                 O0iO.-iC^COC^CC.-i— < 

o 

g 

U 

O 

to 

1 

1 
m 

2 

o 

■> 

o 

D, 
3 

2 

o 

e 

03 

1 

m 

a 

03 

H 

2 
H 

B 

o 

a 

m 

cc 

o 

-a 
o 

"5 

o 
G 

2 

o 
tc 

rt 

a 

T3 

'3 
a 

c 

o 

H 

O 

1 

3 
CO 

o 

0) 

u 

1 

to 

3 

a 

o 
£ 
o 

73 

3 

o 

2 

5 

a 

S 

E 
o 

o 
o 

f2 

s 

0; 

a 
g 

0 

CO 

E 

0 

28 


aaoqv 

puv 

0061$ 

<N 

•  'TJ 

6681$ 
-0081$ 

i     -^ 

•  1—1 

1—1 

J- 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

1-H 

•   1—1           I— I 

: 

•  l-H 

6691$ 
-0001$ 

1—1  1-1 

6691$ 
-009  J $ 

i-H   i-H 

CO      • 

<N 

1—1 

6efT$ 
-00^1$ 

(M    .-H    rH 

CO   l-H    l-( 

•  1—1 

66Sl$ 
-00Sl$ 

(N  1-1 

1— ( 

66SJ$ 
-OOSl$ 

■* 

CO 

^ 

6611$ 
-0011$ 

i-H 

1—1 

6601$ 
-000  J $ 

cc 

CO 

666$ 

-OOGS 

-^ 

T-H                1— 1 

1-1          CO 

(N  ^ 

668$ 
-008$ 

l-H 

-< 

1—1 

l-H 

661$ 
-001$ 

l-H    1—1 

1—1 

1-4 

669$ 
-009$ 

•< 

s 

a> 

55 
O 

< 
P. 

B 

D 

o 

• 

o 

■> 

(1 

fl 
_o 

o 

t-l 

03 

to 

a 

-a 
O 

s 

.2 

a 

O 

CO 

a 

1 

o 
"o 

CJ 

■> 

a 
o 

G 

a 

03 
_o 

a: 
o 

e 

o 
Q 

2^ 

CQ 

to 

o 

C 

c 

o 
'H 

•-5 

m 
o 

"3 

a 
c 

3 
o 

o 

1 

•n 

c 
U 

to 
.  >-• 

o 
G 

o 
o 

:3 

o 
o 

PQ 

CO 

o 

CO 

C 

0) 
bC 

e 

"3 

U 

CO 

O 
w 

"o 

O 

CO 

C 

o 

bC 

o 

c 

2 

3 
to 

a 

2 

Xi 

c 

1 

o 
a 

v 

29 


30     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Their  Income 

The  sources  and  amounts  of  income  of  our  families 
are  shown  in  Table  2.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
average  total  income  per  family  is  $1,262.09.  Of  this 
amount,  the  husband  contributes  $1,069.88,  or  84.8  per 
cent  of  the  total.  The  children  contribute  $79.26  annu- 
ally, or  6.3  per  cent  of  the  total.  From  others  living  with 
the  family,  principally  from  boarders  and  lodgers,  the 
average  family  receives  $74.46  aimually,  or  5.9  per 
cent  of  the  total  income.  The  remaining  3  per  cent 
of  the  family  revenue  comes  from  earnings  of  the  wife, 
from  other  members  of  the  net  family,^  and  from 
miscellaneous  sources. 

*  The  terminology  used  in  this  report  conforms  closely  to  that  used  by 
the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Liil)or  Stiitistics  in  its  rci>ort  on  the  cost  of  living 
investigation  in  the  District  of  Coluinhia  in  191G,  but  dots  not  conform 
absolutely.  We  are,  therefore,  giving  below  the  following  definitions 
which,  for  the  most  part,  arc  quoted  from  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor 
Statistics: 

"'Family'  covers  everyone  living  in  the  household,  including 
boarders  and  lodgers." 

'"Net  family'  .  .  .  covers  hu.sbands,  wives,  dependent  children, 
such  working  children  as  contribute  their  whole  income,  and 
other  person.s  living  with  the  family  who  are  supported  out  of 
the  family  fund  and  who  contribute  their  income,  if  any,  to  the 
family  fund." 

"'Children'  includes  children  not  working  and  also  those  who 
turn  over  their  entire  earnings  to  th(;  family  and  receive  their 
support  from  the  common  family  fund." 

"'Other  members  of  net  family'  includes  all  members  of  family, 
other  than  husbands,  wives,  and  their  children,  who  are  sup- 
ported from  the  common  family  fund  and  contribute  their 
earnings,  if  any,  to  the  family  fund." 

"Others  living  with  family"  includes  boarders  and  lodgers,  and 
all  other  persons,  whether  related  to  the  family  or  not,  who 
are  not  included  in  other  chusses.  Thus,  it  includes  aged  relai- 
tives  who  arc  supported,  in  part,  from  funds  other  than  that  of 
the  family. 


A  Glimpse  at  our  Families 


31 


fNCOME 
GROUP 


$600  tw^///^/////y^/yyy.^^^:;^  / 
$700 


$800Wa 


$900 


$1400 


$1500 


$1600  W" 


$1700^ 
$1800  v/// 

$190 


\  /,2A4,SA 


^^^^c 

^p 

'  ■  VA't 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

^ 

1 

...   1 

i    :^.    ^-n  / 3,5. 6, 


'^M6. 


SCj$L£X 


0       eoo     400      600      aoo     1000    1200    uoo     1600     /SCO    eooo 


Legeno 


CZl  E3 


AV.GfiOUP      AV6/i:uP     Al' GROUP  MC9ii-'i:i,f.'CS  Ai:C;'iOl,P      Ai'.OfiOUP 
EAflNINGiOf  O)P»/IN0S    fAWMiiOF     Of  Omf/IS    cMMMiSrwn   FA/lS'ysSfWf 
HUiBAND       ortVlfE.      CHtMfilN        IN  FAMILY        BQAHDERi      OTHPI  SmUS 

f  2  3  4  5  ^ 

F/6.  /    Sources  of  Income 

Ai^ER/iGEFOR  EACH  INCOME  GROUP 


32      Workingmcri's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  2.    Sources  and 


Famiues 

Hus- 
bands 

Wives 

CuiLDREN 

Income 

4;  °"S 

i.l 

Earnino  income 

3 

fc  c  E 

All  families .  . . 
»600-$699 . . . 

260 

4 
12 
13 
30 
39 
27 
2(5 
25 
28 
18 
9 
8 
10 
11 

5.57 

5.00 
5.92 
5.15 
4 .  97 
5.33 
5.15 
5.19 
5.04 
0.21 
0.39 
5.33 
0.13 
5.50 
7.09 

5.04 

5.00 
5.50 
4.92 
4.77 
4.79 
4 .  56 
4.77 
4.90 
5.39 
5.67 
4.67 
5.88 
5.10 
6.09 

$1,069.88 

$050.25 

738.63 

788 . 02 

896.87 

984.61 

1,013.01 

1.0,55.68 

1,107.71 

1,101.49 

1,295.17 

1,515.07 

1,281.50 

1,465.92 

1,297.52 

30 

$138.12 

3.03 

3.00 
3.50 
2.92 
2.73 
2.79 
2.50 
2.77 
2.92 
3., 39 
3.67 
2.. 56 
3.88 
3.10 
4.09 

51 

76 

$404.10 

$700-$799 . . . 

3 
3 
5 
4 
3 
4 
2 
2 
1 
1 

$29.00 
122.58 

70.30 
209.00 
210.67 

99.75 
104.00 

85.50 
208.00 
104.00 

$800-$899 . . . 

$900-$999  .  .  . 

$1.00O-$  1.099 
$1,100-$1,199 
$l,20O-$l,299. 
$1,300-$  1,399. 
$l,40O-$1.499. 
$l,50O-$l,599. 
$l,fi0a-$l,C99. 

2 

4 

7 

4 

11 

7 

2 
4 

10 

5 

12 

10 

$172.50 
318.63 
315.71 
343.19 
270.86 
300.86 

$1,700-81,799. 

4 
5 
7 

8 
9 
16 

544.13 

$l,80O-»1.899. 
Sl.UOO  &  above 

1 

1 

468.00 
312.00 

534.60 
775.64 

A  Gli7npse  at  our  Farnilies 


33 


Amount  of  Income 


Other  members  of 

NET  FAiULY 

Other.9  living 

with  family 

(mainly  boarders 

and  lodgers) 

Other 

SOURCES  OF 
INCOME 

c 

s 

Contribut- 
ing 

AVERAQB 

Income 

QROUPS 

1.1 

11 
3 

IP 

1 

2 

's 

1  ^ 
lit 

1  S 

III 

it 

TOTAL 
INCOME 

PER 
FAMILY 

All  families 

$600-8699 

4 

1 

3 

$100.05 

90 

1.53 

$215.10 

90 

$61.84 

$1,262.09 
$650.25 

$70O-$799 

3 
3 

6 
11 

11 
10 
11 
14 

7 
4 
2 

3 
5 

1.67 
1.00 
1.00 
1.91 
1.45 
1.10 
1.55 
1.64 
1.86 
1.50 
1.00 
1.33 
2.20 

$34.00 

76.67 

139.00 

98.00 

147.41 

145.40 

307.50 

277.94 

209.71 

217.00 

390.00 

82.17 

548.60 

5 
5 

9 
12 

7 
9 
11 
12 
6 
1 
5 
4 
4 

$6.72 
20.30 
52.95 
29.64 
37.29 
96.04 
15.41 
56.89 
85.90 
30.00 

134.85 
82.81 

267.43 

757 . 18 

$80(>-$899 

841  76 

$900-$999.      . 

1 

1 

952  27 

Sl,000-$1,099.  .  . 

1,051.65 

$1.10(>-$1,199..  . 
$l,20O-S1.299.  .  . 

1,1.53.35 
1,245.19 

$1,300-$  1,399..  . 
$l,40O-$l,499..  . 
$1,,50(>-$1,.599.  .  . 

1 
1 

1 
1 

1 

1 

$98.14 
182.00 

1,343.35 
1,443.86 
1,536.24 

$1,600-$1,699..  . 
$l,70O-Sll,799.  .  . 
*1,800-$1,899.  .  . 

1 

1 

1 

20.00 

1,629.22 
1.735.47 
1,837  74 

$1,900  and  above 

2.166.08 

34     W orkingmen' s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Their  Expenditures 

Table  3  shows  how  our  families  spent  their  available 
funds.  As  we  proceed  from  the  lower  income  groups 
to  the  higher  ones,  we  observe  that  certain  classes  of 
expenditure  claim  a  diminishing  share  of  the  family 
budget,  that  other  classes  claim  an  increasing  share, 
and  that  still  others  remain  about  the  same  in  their 
relative  demands  upon  the  household  treasury.  The 
classes  claiming  a  diminishing  share  are  housing,  fuel 
and  light,  and  food.  Those  claiming  an  increasing 
share  are  clothing;  furniture  and  furnishings;  taxes, 
dues  and  contributions;  recreation  and  amusements; 
carfare;  cleaning  suppUes  and  services;  and  miscellane- 
ous expenses.  The  classes  remaining  about  the  same 
are  health,  education  and  reading,  and  insurance. 

In  the  interpretation  of  Table  3,  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  difference  between  the  average  total 
income  and  the  average  total  expenditure  includes 
not  only  actual  savings  and  actual  deficits,  but  in- 
cludes also  the  possible  5  per  cent  discrepancy  be- 
tween the  reported  annual  expenditures  and  savings 
and  the  money  reported  available  from  all  sources. 


A  Glimpse  at  our  Families 


35 


ff£y   ro  ffaeffE-viATiOAfS  -f. 


flG.l./JC TU^t^lDlS  miBUTJOA/  OF  €xPrNDlTURB.S 


30     Workiiigmeii's  Standard  oj  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Taule  3.    General  ExPENDiTtTRBS 


Description  of  famiues 

AND 
OBJECTS  OF  EXPENDITUWK 


All 
rAUiUEB 


S600- 

troo- 

taoo- 

taoo- 

toao 

$799 

4899 

S999 

4 

12 

13 

30 

5.00 

5.92 

5.15 

4.97 

5.00 

5.50 

4.92 

4.77 

5.00 

5.92 

5.08 

4.93 

3.2.5 

3.77 

3.30 

3.20 

650.25 

757.18 

841.70 

952.27 

693.40 

796.37 

902.08 

983.84 

142. 4S 

139.83 

103.09 

1. '55.83 

20.5 

17.6 

IS.l 

15.8 

49.89 

45.05 

48.22 

r,r>.rA 

7.2 

5.7 

5.3 

5.7 

337.91 

.390.57 

428.0-J 

402.40 

48.7 

49.8 

47.5 

47.0 

6-t.48 

9-1.01 

90.. 30 

124.2S 

9.3 

11.8 

10.7 

12.7 

17.75 

10.77 

24  IS 

20 .  95 

2.6 

2.1 

2.7 

2.1 

1.05 

9.12 

28.74 

14.64 

0.2 

1.1 

3.2 

1.5 

5.95 

10.11 

12.35 

M.W 

0.9 

1.3 

1.4 

1.5 

2. IS 

2.35 

4  10 

5.17 

0.3 

0.3 

0.5 

0.5 

0.20 

8.12 

0.65 

10.00 

0.9 

1.0 

0.7 

1.0 

27.. 30 

22.39 

28.70 

31.05 

3.9 

2.8 

3.2 

3.2 

8.92 

13.00 

15.77 

19.31 

1.3 

17 

1.7 

2.0 

13.75 

19  05 

20.00 

23.97 

2.0 

2  4 

2.3 

2.4 

15.00 

11)  34 

24  02 

45.40 

2.2 

:.M 

2.7 

4.6 

tl.OOO- 
$1,099 


(1)  N'unibor  of  families..  .  . 

(2)  Average  siio  of  family 

(household) 

(3)  AvcraKC  size  of  net 

family 

(4)  AveruRi-  number  of  per- 

80IW  coiLfuminK  food. 
^5)  Equivalent  male  adults. 

(6)  Average  total  income.  . 

(7)  Average  total  ex- 

penditure   

Expenditures: 

(8)  Housing 

(9)  Fuel  and  light 

(10)  Food 

(11)  Clothing 

(12)  Health 

(13)  F'urniture  and  fur- 

ni.shings 

(14)  Taxf.H,  dues  and 

contributions.  .  . 

(15)  Recreation  and 

amusements. .... 

(16)  Education  and  reading 

(17)  Insurance 

(18)  Carfare 

(19)  Cleaning  supplies  and 

services 

(20)  Mi.iccllancou.s 


260 

5.57 

5.0-1 

5. .50 

3.71) 

$1,262.09 

$1,261.93 


!  average  $177 
per  cent  14 
average  $  04 
.  per  cent  5 
average  $557 
per  cent  44 
average  $175 
per  cent  1.3 
average  $  32 
per  cent  2 
average  $  35 
per  cent  2 
average  $  24 
per  cent  2 
average  $  15 
per  cent  1 
average  $  12 
per  cent  1 
avcnigo  $  40 
I)er  cent  3 
average  $  31 
per  cent  2 
average  $  33 
per  cent  2 
average  $  61 
per  n-nt        4 


39 

5.33 

4.79 

5.21 
3  31 

1.051.65 

1,064.43 

175.82 

16.4 

58.00 

5.5 

478.65 

45.0 
133.39 

12.0 

21.74 
2.1 

28.96 
2.7 

18.51 
1.7 
9.62 
0.9 
8.27 
0.8 

33.31 
3.1 

21.48 
2  0 

23  22 
2  2 

53.48 
5.0 


A  Glimpse  at  our  Families 


37 


OP  Families.    By  Income  Groups 


$1,100- 

SI, 200- 

$1,300- 

S  1.400- 

$1,500- 

$1  .Hon- 

SI  .71111  - 

SI  .Snn- 

Sl.orO 

$1,199 

91, £99 

SI  ,M9 

$1,400 

$1,600 

$1  .>;:j:i 

il.7:j:j 

il.SiK) 

arui 
(ihoze 

27 

20 

25 

28 

18 

9 

8 

10 

11            (1) 

5.15 

5.19 

5.6-1 

6.21 

6.39 

5.33 

6.13 

5.50 

7.09    (2) 

4.50 

4.77 

4.90 

5.39 

5.67 

4.67 

5.88 

5.10 

6.09     (3) 

5.04 

5.15 

5.64 

6.14 

6.28 

5.33 

6.00 

5.30 

7.00    (4) 

3.49 

3.67 

3.99 

4.39 

4.35 

3.58 

4.49 

3.89 

5.51     (5) 

1.153.35 

1.245.19 

1,343.35 

1,443.80 

1,536.24 

1,629.22 

1,735.47 

1.837.74 

2.166.08    (6) 

1,145.18 

1,231.21 

1,312.57 

1,440.94 

1,573.80 

1,529.87 

1,735.66 

1,786.27 

2,082.77    (7) 

164.20 

180.19 

181.. 39 

194.24 

194.03 

188.68 

186.71 

219.79 

212.13    (8) 

14.3 

14.7 

13.8 

13.4 

12.3 

12.3 

10.8 

12.3 

10.2 

6-1. 80 

01.57 

05.49 

07.03 

78.95 

82.59 

79.33 

83.96 

86.71     (9) 

5.7 

5.0 

5.0 

4.0 

5.0 

5.4 

4.6 

4.7 

4.1 

534.50 

.534.30 

5S5.S5 

630  98 

668.91 

632.69 

670.87 

706.65 

872.15  (10) 

46.7 

43.3 

44.6 

44.0 

42.5 

41.4 

39.0 

39.6 

41.9 

135.27 

171.82 

191 . 35 

210.42 

249 . 36 

250.53 

209.85 

277.18 

307.73  (11) 

11.8 

14.0 

14.8 

15.0 

15.9 

16.4 

15.5 

15.5 

14.8 

33.01 

32.69 

20 .  79 

46.72 

35.94 

56.33 

67.19 

44  91 

43.17  (12) 

2.9 

2.7 

2   1 

3.2 

2.3 

3.7 

3.9 

2.5 

2.1 

29.24 

34.67 

30. 37 

26.92 

66.66 

40.17 

73.00 

72, 54 

80.68  (13) 

2.5 

2.8 

2.8 

1.9 

4.2 

2.6 

4.2 

4.0 

3.9 

22.70 

30.24 

22.80 

33.94 

39.47 

29.27 

37.60 

38.72 

33.69  (14) 

2.0 

2.5 

1.7 

2.4 

2.5 

1.9 

2.2 

2.2 

1.6 

15.18 

19.85 

13.20 

15.01 

21.44 

43.25 

28.44 

42.25 

35.62  (15) 

1.3 

1.6 

1.0 

1.1 

1.4 

2.8 

1.6 

2.4 

1.7 

10.99 

12.24 

15. 39 

18.. 36 

16.10 

11.74 

20.03 

15.53 

24.42  (16) 

1.0 

1.0 

1.2 

1.3 

1.0 

0.8 

1.2 

0.9 

1.2 

36.33 

39.54 

49.00 

45.26 

53.12 

38.10 

75.12 

31.90 

74.34  (17) 

3.2 

3.2 

3.7 

3.1 

3.4 

2.5 

4.3 

1.8 

3.6 

32.16 

37.14 

32.82 

34.80 

35.19 

29.19 

42.87 

50.38 

85.12  (18) 

2.8 

3.0 

2.5 

2.4 

2.2 

1.9 

2.5 

2.8 

4.1 

28.80 

27.18 

30.  IS 

32.05 

38.45 

35  81 

49. 32 

63.28 

101.43  (19) 

2.5 

2.2 

2  8 

2.2 

2.4 

2.3 

2.8 

3.5 

4.8 

37. 8S 

49.78 

52.94 

78.61 

70.18 

91. 52 

128.73 

139   IS 

125. 58  (20) 

3.3 

I   0 

4   0 

5  4 

4   9 

6  0 

7  4 

7  S 

0  0 

CHAPTER   IV 
THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING 

General  Outline  of  the  Standard 

In  general  outline  the  standard  of  living  suggested 

for  the  standard  fiunily  assumed  in  this  report  is  as 

follows : 

Classes  op  Expenditure  Cost  per  Year  at 

Autumn  1918  Prices 
All  classes $1,636 . 79 

Specified  standard $1,352.72 

Housing $240.00 

Fuel  and  light 75.00 

Food 660.09 

Clothing 299.43 

Carfare 35.40 

Cleaning  supphes  and  services 42 .  80 

Unspecified  standard — 21  %  of  cost  of  specified  standard $284 .  07 

Division  of  the  Standard  into  Specified  and  Unspecified 

In  so  far  as  it  was  possible  to  do  so,  the  requirements 
of  this  standard  are  set  forth  in  the  following  pages  in 
terms  of  actu£,l  goods  and  services.  Since  these  re- 
quirements, hmvevcr,  could  not  be  expressed  through- 
out in  actual  goods  and  services,  the  standard  has  been 
divided  into  two  sections,  the  specified  section  and  the 
unspecified  section.  In  the  specified  section  are  included 
all  items  or  classes  of  the  household  budget  for  which 
the  requirements  could  be  set  forth  in  terms  of 
goods  and  services,  and  in  the  unspecified  section  are 
included  those  classes  that  could  not  be  set  forth  in 

38 


The  Standard  of  Living  39 

this  manner.  The  classes  included  in  the  specified 
section  are  housing,  fuel  and  hght,  food,  clothing, 
carfare,  and  cleaning  supplies  and  services.  These 
constitute  approximately  82  per  cent  of  the  en- 
tire household  budget.  In  the  unsjjecified  section  are 
included  health;  furnitiu'e  and  furnishings;  taxes, 
dues  and  contributions;  recreation  and  amusements; 
education  and  reading;  insurance;  and  miscellaneous 
expenditures,  which  together  constitute  the  remaining 
18  per  cent  of  the  household  budget. 

Presentation  of  the  Specified  Section 

A  discussion  of  the  specified  section  naturally  re- 
solves itself  into  a  statement  of  the  requirements  of  a 
fair  standard  of  living,  followed  by  data  supporting 
these  requirements.  This  method  has  been  pursued 
throughout  in  the  treatment  of  the  various  classes  of 
the  household  budget  included  in  the  specified  section. 

Presentation  of  the  Unspecified  Section 

In  the  case  of  the  unspecified  section  it  obviously  was 
not  possible  to  give  a  statement  of  requirements.  All 
that  could  be  done  was  to  show  the  distribution  of 
expenditures  by  various  objects.  This  distribution, 
however,  will  give  a  fairly  definite  idea  of  the  detailed 
needs  that  must  be  met  out  of  the  unspecified  section 
of  the  household  budget  and  will  give  also  some  in- 
dication of  the  relative  importance  of  these  needs. 

Besides  outlining  the  contents  of  a  fair  standard  of 
living,  this  chapter  shows  the  current  (autumn  of 
1918)  cost  of  such  a  standard.  In  the  specified  section 
are  shown,  not  only  the  actual  goods  and  services 
that  are  considered  necessaiy,  but  also  their  current 
prices  and  their  total  current  cost. 


40     Wnrkingwen's  Standard  of  Limng  in  Philadelphia 

Method  of  Arriving  at  Cost  of  Unspecified  Section 

In  arriving  at  the  current  cost  of  the  unspecified 
section,  which  could  not  be  expressed  in  terms  of  goods 
and  services,  a  different  method  had  to  be  adopted. 
After  considering  the  problem  carefully  from  all  angles, 
we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  for  all  practical  purposes 
it  would  be  sufficiently  accurate  to  reckon  the  cost 
of  this  section  as  a  certain  percentage  of  the  cost  of  the 
specified  section.  This  percentage  should  correspond 
with  the  normal  relationship  sho^^^l  by  uivestigation  to 
exist  between  these  two  parts  of  the  workingman's 
household  budget.  From  our  own  data  it  would  appear 
that  the  imspecified  section  of  the  budget  is  approxi- 
mately 21  per  cent  of  the  specified  section.  This  find- 
ing is  confirmed  by  the  recent  investigations  made  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  by  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of 
Labor  Statistics.  In  the  present  instance,  the  cost  of 
the  specified  standard  is  $1,352.72.  By  adopting  the 
method  just  described,  that  is,  by  taking  21  per  cent 
of  this  amount,  we  find  that  the  cost  of  the  imspecified 
standard  is  S284.07.  The  cost  of  the  standard  as  a 
whole  equals  the  sum  of  these  two  amounts,  or  $1,636.79. 

Comparison  of  Cost  Variation  of  Unspecified  Section 
with  that  of  Specified  Section 

This  method  is  based  upon  the  assumption  that  the 
cost  of  the  unspecified  standard  will  vary  directly 
wdth  the  cost  of  the  specified  standard.  In  other  words, 
if  the  cost  of  the  specified  standard  shows  an  increase 
of,  let  us  say,  20  per  cent  over  its  cost  a  year  ago,  it  is 
assumed  that  a  like  increase  has  taken  place  in  the  cost 
of  the  unspecified  standard.  In  so  far  as  this  assumption 
is  not  true,  the  method  herein  adopted  will  be  mislead- 


The  Standa/rd  of  Limng  41 

ing.  It  is  pertinent,  therefore,  to  inquire  into  the  prob- 
able extent  that  we  may  be  misled  by  following  this 
method. 

Let  us  suppose  a  very  extreme  case.  Let  us  suppose 
that  since  the  time  of  our  field  investigation  no  in- 
crease whatever  had  taken  place  in  the  cost  of  the  items 
in  the  unspecified  standard  and  that  the  original 
figure  of  $222.64  is  still  correct.  By  applying  the 
method  adopted  in  this  report  we  arrive  at  $284.07 
as  the  cost  of  the  unspecified  standard,  an  amount 
$61.43  or  27.6  per  cent  higher  than  the  original  figure. 
The  unspecified  standard,  however,  constitutes  only 
18  per  cent  of  the  household  budget,  so  that  the  per- 
centage of  error  for  the  entire  standard  is  only  18  per 
cent  of  27.6  per  cent,  or  4.97  per  cent.  It  is  obvious, 
therefore,  that  even  in  a  most  extreme  case,  the  final 
error  would  not  be  overwhelmingly  great. 

Cost  Variation  of  the  Items  of  the  Unspecified  Section 
Considered  Separately 

It  is  very  unlikely,  however,  that  such  a  variance 
in  cost  fluctuation  between  the  specified  and  the  un- 
specified standard  would  ever  occur.  The  two  groups 
of  items,  after  all,  are  very  closely  related  and  are 
bound  to  respond  in  much  the  same  manner  to  causes 
affecting  prices.  If  we  scan  the  classes  of  expenditures 
that  comprise  the  unspecified  standard  we  shall  find 
that  practically  all  of  them  have  conformed  to  the 
rapid  upward  trend  that  has  characterized  the  course 
of  the  specified  classes  during  the  last  few  years. 

Health 

First  in  the  list  of  unsp^ified  classes  of  expenditures 
is  health.    As  shown  in  Table  17  over' 50  per  cent  of  the 


42     ]Vurhing7nen*s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

average  family's  exjienditures  for  health  are  for  serv- 
ices of  the  physician.  The  mere  fact,  therefore,  that 
since  the  outbreak  of  the  great  war  physicians  liave 
increased  their  fees  from  50  to  100  per  cent  would 
mean  a  marked  advance  in  the  cost  of  general  health 
necessities.  The  physician's  service,  however,  is  not 
the  only  item  in  this  class  that  has  advanced.  Drugs 
also  have  risen  very  rapidly.  An  api)r()ximate  idea 
of  the  extent  of  this  rise  may  be  obtained  from  the 
wholesale  index  niunbers  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  La))or 
Statistics  for  chemicals  and  drugs.  According  to  these 
index  numbers  the  wholesale  prices  of  chemicals  and 
drugs  in  August,  191S,  were  about  12  per  cent  higlier 
than  the  average  1917  prices  and  more  than  100  per 
cent  higher  than  the  average  1914  prices.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  estimate  with  exactness  the  increase  that  has 
taken  place  during  the  last  year  in  the  cost  of  all 
health  items  combined,  but  it  seems  safe  to  conclude 
from  the  facts  just  cited  that  an  increase  has  taken 
place  and  that  this  increase,  if  not  as  great  as  the 
average  for  all  specified  classes,  is  at  least  as  great  as 
the  uicrease  for  housing  and  greater  than  the  increase 
for  carfare,  both  of  which  are  included  in  the  specified 
standard. 

Furniture  and  Furnishings 

The  next  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is  furni- 
ture and  fiirnishings.  This,  too,  has  conformed  toThe 
upward  trend  of  prices.  According  to  the  retail  index 
nmnbers  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  for 
Philadelphia,  the  cost  of  funiiture  and  furnishings  has 
risen  lO.j  per  cent  from  December,  1914,  to  August, 
1918.  During  the  same  period  all  household  expendi- 
tures  combined   increased   only   67   per   cent.     It  is 


The  Standard  of  Living  43 

evident  from  this  fact  that  furniture  and  furnishings 
not  only  kept  pace  with  the  specified  classes  but  actu- 
ally exceeded  them.  If  we  confme  our  obser^'ation  to 
the  period  from  December,  1917,  to  August,  1918,  we 
find  that  all  classes  of  the  household  budget  have 
advanced  about  IG  per  cent,  whereas  furniture  and 
furnishings  have  advanced  37  per  cent,  thus  confirming 
our  first  impression.  It  is  interesting  to  note  also  that 
for  both  the  longer  and  the  shorter  period  the  increase 
in  the  cost  of  furniture  and  furnishings  is  practically 
the  same  as  the  increase  in  the  cost  of  clothing. 

Taxes,  Dues  and  Contributions 

The  third  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is  taxes, 
dues  and  contributions.  In  connection  with  this  class 
it  is  necessary  to  distinguish  between  two  different 
points  of  view.  One  is  that  the  rate  of  taxes  and  the 
actual  amounts  of  dues  and  contributions  are  the 
factors  that  detennine  whether  there  has  been  any 
change  in  cost.  The  other  is  that  the  standard  of 
support  given  to  government,  church,  and  lodge  is  the 
important  factor  to  be  considered.  If,  owing  to  an 
increase  in  the  cost  of  commodities  in  general,  the 
operating  expenses  of  an  organization,  whether  pubhc 
or  private,  are  advanced,  the  ^Kli^'idual  member 
must  increase  his  contributions  accordingly  or  lower 
his  standard  of  support.  For  our  present  purpose,  the 
latter  point  of  view  seems  more  nearly  correct  than 
the  former.  Wlien  we  are  interested  in  the  cost  of 
maintaining  a  given  standard  of  li\'ing,  we  are  inter- 
ested also  in  the  cost  of  maintauiing  a  certain  standard 
of  support  of  such  organizations  as  are  dependent  upon 
taxes,  dues  or  contributions.  We  are  not  interested 
in  the  cost  of  a  less  adequately  supported  organization 


44     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

and  hence  not  interested  in  mere  rates  which  may  fail 
to  correspond  to  the  increased  costs  of  maintaining 
the  activities  of  the  organization. 

Proceeding,  then,  upon  the  thesis  that  the  standard 
of  support  must  be  the  basis  for  ascertaining  changes 
in  the  cost  of  items  hsted  under  taxes,  dues  and  contri- 
butions, let  us  see  whether  this  cost  has  remained 
stationary  during  the  past  few  years  or  whether  it  has 
shown  an  upward  tendency.  In  so  far  as  an  organiza- 
tion requires  the  same  commodities  as  a  household — 
fuel  and  hght,  for  example — the  cost  fluctuation 
should  be  the  same  as  it  is  in  maintaining  a  household. 
If  part  of  the  operating  expenses  are  for  salaries  and 
wages  and  standards  of  compensation  are  to  be  kept 
up,  then  there  must  be  a  fluctuation  of  cost  corre- 
sponding almost  exactly  to  that  of  the  household.  If 
union  dues  are  to  provide  the  same  amount  of  rehef 
and  protection  that  they  made  possible  at  lower  price 
levels,  they  must  be  increased  as  much  as  prices  have 
increased.  In  other  words,  the  cost  of  maintaining 
a  given  standard  of  support  of  public  or  private  organ- 
izations is  so  directly  dependent  upon  the  same  prices 
that  affect  the  cost  of  maintaining  a  household  that 
the  two  costs  inevitably  must  fluctuate  in  about  the 
same  manner. 

Recreation  and  Amusements 

The  fourth  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is 
recreation  and  amusements.  By  consulting  Table  20 
we  find  that  the  major  part  of  the  expenditures  in  this 
class  are  for  excursions,  movies,  and  playthings.  Ex- 
cursions involve  expenses  for  railroad  fares,  meals, 
refreshments,  and  other  incidentals,  all  of  which  have 
gone  up  in  cost  during  the  last  few  years.     Movies 


The  Standard  of  Living  45 

have  not  advanced  to  the  same  extent  nor  as  generally 
as  most  items  in  the  family  budget,  but  they  have  not 
remained  entirely  stationary.  "Where  the  price  of  admis- 
sion has  not  been  raised  there  still  is  the  10  per  cent  tax 
that  makes  this  form  of  amusement  more  costly  than 
in  former  years.  Toys  and  playthings,  on  the  other 
hand,  have  increased  very  decidedly.  As  a  class,  it 
may  be  said  that  recreation  and  amusements  has  fol- 
lowed the  general  trend  upward  fairly  closely,  although 
it  has  not  advanced  quite  as  rapidly  as  most  of  the 
other  classes. 

Education  and  Reading 

The  fifth  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is  educa- 
tion and  reading.  The  principal  items  to  be  considered 
in  this  class  are  newspapers,  school  supphes,  and 
stationery.  Newspapers  have  advanced  about  70  per 
cent  during  the  last  few  years,  and  school  supplies,  such 
as  tablets  and  pencils,  also  have  gone  up  very  con- 
siderably. Stationery  for  correspondence  purposes  has 
soared  since  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  This  class  too, 
therefore,  has  moved  upward  with  the  procession. 

Insurance 

The  sixth  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is  in- 
surance. Analogous  to  the  case  of  taxes,  dues  and 
contributions,  we  are  here  concerned,  not  with  rates 
of  premium,  but  with  the  cost  of  maintaining  a  given 
standard  of  protection.  When  we  consider  that  this 
standard  of  protection  is  determined  by  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  goods  and  services  the  face  of  an  in- 
surance policy  will  buy,  it  immediately  appears  that 
the  cost  of  insurance  protection  must  vary  directly 
with  the  cost  of  the  other  items  of  the  family  budget. 


46     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Miscellaneous  Expenditures 

The  last  class  in  the  unspecified  standard  is  viiscel- 
laneoiis  expenditures.  The  items  in  this  class  that  are 
important  both  in  point  of  average  annual  cost  and 
in  point  of  the  number  of  famiUes  reporting  expendi- 
tures therefor  are  tobacco,  ice  cream,  candy,  and  soda 
water.  Although  spending-money  for  the  husband 
and  for  the  cliildren  at  work  also  looms  large,  this  no 
doubt  is  applicable,  for  the  most  part,  to  the  items 
already  mentioned.  It  is  unnecessary  to  point  out 
in  detail  how  much  each  of  them  has  advanced  in 
price,  for  it  is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  that 
all  of  them  have  gone  up  verj'  considerably. 

^Vfter  this  cursory-  examination  of  the  various  classes 
composing  the  unspecified  standard,  it  would  appear 
that  this  standard  has  conformed  very  closely  to  the 
upward  trend  of  the  specified  standard.  Whether 
this  conformity  has  been  complete,  it  is  difficult  to 
estimate;  but  the  discrepancy,  if  there  has  been  any, 
was  doubtless  negligible.  This  view  is  confirmed  by 
the  present  practice  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor 
Statistics  which  assumes  that  all  other  items  of  the 
household  budget  fluctuate  in  cost  in  the  same  manner 
and  to  exactly  the  same  degree  as  clothing,  furniture 
and  fmnishings,  food,  housing,  and  fuel  and  hght. 
For  all  practical  purposes,  therefore,  it  seems  perfectly 
safe  to  adopt  the  method  herein  suggested  for  ascer- 
taining the  cost  of  the  unspecified  standard. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


47 


The  Specified  Standard 


HOUSING 
Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 

Annual  rent $240 .  00 

Two-story  row  house,  with  six  rooms,  facing  street; 
bathroom,  inchiding  toilet,  washstand,  and  tub; 
laundry;  furnace;  and  facilities  for  gas  for  cook- 
ing and  lighting. 

Supporting  Data 

Typical  housing  facilities  of  Philadelphia  working- 
men.  The  above  standard  conforms  closely  to  what  we 
found  to  be  typical  housing  facilities  of  the  families  in- 
cluded in  our  investigation.  The  following  is  a  sum- 
mary of  our  findings: 

By  how  many  Families 
Housing  Facilities  Possessed 


General  character  of  house: 

One-famUy  house 

House  facing  front 

Row  house 

Semi-detached  house 

One-story  house 

Two-story  house 

Three-story  house 

House  with  basement 

Number  of  rooms  (exclusive  of  bathroom) : 

Three  or  less 

Four 

Five 

Six 

Seven 

Eight 

Nine  or  over 

Location  of  water  supply: 

Kitchen 

Bathroom 

Basement 


48     Workingmens  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Housing  Facilities 


Locaiion  of  water  supply: — Continual 

Shed 

Yard 

All  the  foregoing 

Kitchen,  bathroom,  yard,  and  shed 

Kitchen,  bathroom,  and  one  other  place ... 

Kitchen  and  bathroom 

Kitchen  and  one  place  other  than  bathroom , 
Method  of  heating: 

Stoves 

Furnace 

Hot  water 

Gas  used  for: 

Lighting 

Cooking 

Both  cooking  and  lighting 

Neither 

Electricity  used  for  lighting 

Where  clothes  are  washed: 

Basement 

Kitchen  and  yard 

Shed  or  laundry 

Toilet  facilities: 

Bathroom 

Water-closet  in  house 

"     "   yard 

"     "  shed 

"    "  "  both  house  and  yard 

"    "  "   "    "    "  shed 

"         "     used  by  one  family 

"         "        "     "    two  families 

Privy  used  by  one  family 

"        "    "    two  families 


By  how  many  Families 
Possessed 


Number     Per  Cent 


20 
210 
None 

12 
153 

26 

38 

84 

172 

4 

249 
243 
235 

3 

3 

3 

164 

93 

224 

174 

79 

6 

4 

2 
245 

8 

6 

1 


7.7 
80.8 
0.0 
4.6 
58.8 
10.0 
14.6 

32.3 

66.2 

1.5 

95.8 

93.5 

90.4 

1.2 

1.2 

1.2 
63.1 
35.7 

86.2 

66.9 

30.4 

2.3 

1.5 

0.8 

94.2 

3.1 

2.3 

0.4 


This  standard  also  describes  a  type  of  dwelling  that 
is  very  common  in  Philadelphia.  In  all  the  industrial 
sections  of  the  city  a  large  proportion  of  the  homes 
are  six-room  houses,  with  a  furnace  for  heating  and 
gas  for  cooking  and  lighting.  A  bathroom,  including 
toilet,  washstand,  and  tub,  is  usually  also  among  the 
conveniences  of  a  house  of  this  size.     The  standard 


The  Standard  of  Living  49 

adopted,  therefore,  is  not  at  all  an  unrealizable  ideal, 
but  rather  a  description  of  a  typical  Philadelphia 
workingman's  home. 

Current  rentals.  The  allowance  of  $240  a  year, 
or  $20  a  month,  for  rent  was  decided  upon  after  a 
general  survey  during  November,  1918,  of  rents  through- 
out the  city.  It  was  found  that  in  some  sections 
houses  of  the  type  called  for  in  this  standard  rented 
for  sHghtly  more  than  this  allowance,  while  in  other 
sections  they  rented  for  slightly  less.  Twenty  dollars 
a  month,  however,  was  a  very  frequent  figure  and 
seemed  to  be  a  fair  average  for  the  entire  city. 

Another  angle  of  approach  brings  us  to  practically 
the  same  conclusion.  Of  the  260  families  included  in 
our  investigation,  218  rented  their  houses.  The  aver- 
age rental  paid  by  these  families  was  $18.31  per  month. 
This  figure  may  be  taken  as  representing  1917  con- 
ditions, for  July  1  of  that  year  happens  to  be  the 
date  midway  between  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
the  period  to  which  our  facts  relate.  According  to  the 
Philadelphia  Housing  Association,  the  average  in- 
crease since  1917  in  the  rent  of  houses  such  as  our 
standard  describes  has  been  $2  per  month.  By  adding 
this  increase  to  our  1917  figure  we  arrive  at  $20.31  as 
the  probable  monthly  rent  in  the  autumn  of  1918. 


9S 

O 

a 

o  a 

^ 

go 

o 

11 

el 

m'-' 

3 

a 

a 

b 

a    . 

O 

OS 

^  M 


fa  o 

°  5 

^  r 

S  O 


Ph    « 


P 
< 

O 


tuoourjivq 


ro}"i 


utnojijitxj 


uioouiifoq 
V'.'.ll 


1P)01 


moosyixxi 


tmoj 


moodijjvq 


tuoojyjoq 
WAi. 


mox 


tuoo^i/jvq 


C^  -H  -^CO-H 


rH        •IN^'-CO-I 


>-H  -H  M  «5  (N  «  1-1  —I 


.-I  l-H  CO  t- W  W  l-H  ^ 


l-H  M  Tf  —I  1-1 


?i';''i; 


3Bvj3a.y 


ssyiyuivf 
jo  uiqmn^ 


OXI.MAiO 

eaniwvj 
AO  Has  was; 


saniivvj 
JO  uaaivQM 


CO   co^o:;roO'^0'0->ro 
O   00^3"JH^Oi-iO-*;^0 

o  o  -^  CO  r~  o  ■>*  CO  » r^  oi  o 


.0;c 


^   1-1  C>1  CO  lO  — I  T)<  Ol  N  U5  CO  C^ 


.-hiMt1<OCO'KC»C^OCOCOOMM 


The  Standard  of  Living 
FUEL  AND  LIGHT 
Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 


51 


Unit 

Price  per 
Unit 

Annual 
Quantity 

Annual 
Cost 

Total 

$75  00 

Pea  coal 

ton 

ton 
1,000  cu.  ft. 
box  of  500 

$8.45 

9.90 

1.00 

.06 

2H 

26 
52 

$21  13 

Stove  coal 

24  75 

Gas 

26  00 

Matches 

3  12 

Supporting  Data 

Basis  of  allowances.  The  above  allowances  are 
based  upon  an  analysis  of  our  data,  as  shown  m  Table 
5,  and  also  upon  the  consideration  that  the  winter  of 
1917-18,  to  which  most  of  our  data  relate,  was  not 
wholly  normal.  No  doubt  the  coal  shortage  during 
that  period  caused  a  lower  consumption  of  coal  and  a 
higher  consumption  of  kerosene  than  is  normally  the 
case.  In  many  homes  the  result  was  an  absolute 
reduction  of  the  quantity  of  fuel  used,  no  attempt 
having  been  made  to  obtain  substitutes  for  coal. 

In  the  standard  we  are  suggesting  allowances  are 
made  only  for  the  three  most  frequently  used  and 
most  staple  fuel  and  Hghting  supplies,  namely,  coal, 
gas,  and  matches.  Electricity,  wood,  candles,  kerosene, 
and  charcoal,  although  all  of  these  were  used  to  a 
greater  or  lesser  extent  by  the  famihes  investigated, 
have  not  been  considered  indispensable,  especially  if 
an  adequate  quantity  of  the  more  staple  supplies  is 
provided.  Instead,  the  allowances  of  coal,  gas,  and 
matches  were  made  slightly  more  generous  than  the 
average  quantity  consumed  as  shown  by  our  data. 


52     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Liviiig  in  Philadelphia 


It  is  worthy  of  note,  in  this  connection,  that  while  five 
tons  of  coal  is  abnost  a  ton  more  than  the  average 
consumption  shown  by  our  data,  yet,  for  a  six-room 
house,  it  is  one  ton  less  than  the  standard  of  a  ton  per 
room  established  by  the  Fuel  Administration.  The 
quality  of  coal  selected  confoims  as  nearly  as  we  were 
able  to  judge  to  the  quality  generally  used  by  working- 
men's  families. 

Basis  of  prices.  The  prices  of  coal  and  matches 
given  in  the  standard  were  obtained  during  the  month 
of  September,  1918.  More  recently  a  decided  increase 
has  taken  place  in  the  price  of  coal,  but  since  at  least 
part  of  the  winter's  coal  supply  can  be  laid  in  during 
the  summer  months  when  prices  are  usually  lower  than 
in  September  it  seems  permissible  to  let  the  figures  of 
that  month  stand  unaltered.  The  price  of  gas  in  Phila- 
delphia is  fixed  by  city  ordinance  and  has  remained 
constant  for  a  number  of  years. 

Table  5.  Fuel  and  Light.  Average  Annual  Quantities  Used 
AND  Average  Annual  Expenditures.  Bt  Objects  of  Ex- 
penditure 


Objects  of  expenoitcbe 


RzPOBTINa  SXFENDITURE8 


H  a. 


All  fami- 
UEs  (260) 


^^1 


All  objects. 


Coal,  tons 

Matches,  boxes  of  500  matches. 

Gas,  1,000  cubic  feet 

Kerosene,  gallons 

Electricity 

Wood 

Candles 

Charcoal 


260 

257 

254 

257 

117 

3 

85 

91 

1 


4.28 
43.19 
24.48 
34.06 


$64.44 

$35.11 

2.29 

24.48 

4.62 

17.00 

2.76 

.35 

.84 


$64.44 

$34.70 

2.24 

24.20 

2.08 

.20 

.90 

.12 

0) 


(')  Less  than  one-half  of  1  cent. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


53 


FOOD 
Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 


Total. 


Bread  and  cereals 

Bread 

Buns  and  rolls 

Cakes,  raise 

Cornmeal 

Cornstarch 

Flour,  wheat 

Macaroni 

Oatmeal 

Rice 


16  oz.  loaf 
24  oz.  doz. 

lb. 

lb. 

Pkg. 

12  lb.  bag 

12  oz.  pkg. 

lb. 

lb. 


Meais  and  fish 

Beef — equal  parts  of  brisket, 

chuck,  and  round 

Chicken 

Fish,  fresh 

Fish,  salt 

Pork 


Meat  substitutes . 

Beans,  dried 

Cheese 

Eggs 

Milk,  fresh 

Peas,  dried 


Shortening  . . 

Butter 

Lard 

Oleomargarine. 


Fresh  vegetables. 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Corn 

Lettuce 

Onions 

Potatoes,  Irish .  . 


Unit 


lb. 
lb. 
lb. 
lb. 
lb. 


lb. 
lb. 
doz. 
qt. 
lb. 


lb. 
lb. 
lb. 


2  lb.  head 
2  lb.  bunch 

doz. 
4  oz.  head 
lb. 
pk. 


Price 
PER  Unit 


Annual 
Quantity 


.08 
.15 
.23 
.05 
.08 
.75 
.12 
.07 
.13 


.38 
.40 
.20 
.20 
.43 


.17 
.36 
.60 
.15 
.11 


$  .70 
.32 
.36 


.05 

.05 

.20 

.03 

.02' 2 

.60 


988 
52 
13 
26 
13 
13 
13 
52 
39 


286 
26 
78 
13 
05 


13 
26 

78 

728 

13 


26 

32.5 

65 


39 
39 
13 
13 
91 
78 


Annual 
Cost 

$660.09 

$112.19 
$  79.04 
7.80 
2.99 
1.30 
1.04 
9.75 
1.56 
3.64 
5.07 

$165.23 

$108.68 

10.40 

15.60 

2.60 

27.95 

$169.00 

$    2.21 

9.36 

46.80 

109 . 20 

1.43 

$  52.00 

$  18.20 

10.40 

23.40 

$  66.01 


1.95 

1.95 

2  60 

.39 

2.28 

46.80 


54     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


FOOD— Continued 


Unit 

Price 
PER  Unit 

Annual 
Quantity 

Annual 
Cost 

Fresh  vegetables  (continued) 

pk. 
pk. 
pk. 
pk. 

.60 
.40 
.40 
.48 

1 

4 

4 

13 

.60 

1.60 

SfTinff  hfians         

1.60 

Tomatoes        

6.24 

Otrnnpfi  venpinhles                .  . 

$  11.57 

Corn        

19  oz.  can 
19  oz.  can 
19  oz.  can 

S  .17 
.16 
.14 

13 
13 

52 

$    2.21 

Pgas              

2.08 

Tomatoes   

7.28 

fPrPth  fniila 

$  16.77 

Apples        

pk. 
doz. 
pk. 

$   .64 
.30 
.40 

13 

19.5 
6.5 

$    8.32 

Oranges 

5.85 

Peaches 

2.60 

Dried  fruits             

$    2.54 

Prunes 

lb. 
15  oz.  pkg. 

$   .13 
.13 

13 
6.5 

$     1.69 

Raisins 

.85 

Sugars 

$  28.21 

Molasses 

18  oz.  can 
lb. 

$   .14 

•  lOK 

26 
234 

$    3.64 

Sugar,  eran 

24.57 

Beverages 

$  19.11 

Cocoa 

8  oz.  can 
lb. 
lb. 

$   .15 
.21 

.48 

13 
52 
13 

$    1.95 

10.92 

Tea 

6.24 

Miscellaneous 

$  17.46 

Baking  powder 

2^2  oz.  can 

251b.  cake 

8  oz.  bottle 

4  lb.  bag 

$   .08 
.10 
.12 
.10 

13 

120 

26 

13 

$    1.04 

Ice 

12.00 

Pickles 

3.12 

Salt 

1.30 

Supporting  Data 

Basis  of  allowances.  The  food  allowance  in  the 
above  standard  is  based  partly  upon  the  scientific  re- 
quirements of  a  workingman's  family  of  the  size  we  are 
assuming  and  partly  upon  the  actual  food  habits  of 


The  Standard  of  Living  55 

workingmen's  families  as  indicated  by  the  data  col- 
lected in  our  investigation. 

The  standard  family  we  are  assuming  and  the  rela- 
tive food  requirements  of  its  members,  as  determined 
from  the  schedule  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statis- 
tics given  on  pages  20-21,  are  as  follows: 

Husband 1 .  00  unit 

Wife 80     " 

Boy,  age  13 90     " 

Girl,  age  10 60     " 

Boy,age6 50     " 

The  entire  family,  therefore,  is  equivalent  in  its  food 
needs  to  3.80  adult  males. 

While  authorities  differ  on  the  food  requirements  of 
the  body,  the  consensus  of  scientific  opinion  seems  to 
be  that  a  man  at  moderately  active  muscular  work 
ought  to  have  from  3,000  to  3,200  calories  daily.^  The 
results  of  oiu*  investigation  indicate  that  the  actual 
food  consumption  of  workingmen's  families  conforms 
very  closely  to  these  requirements.  According  to  the 
food  estimates  of  all  of  our  260  famihes,  the  average 
quantity  of  food  consumed  per  man  per  day  was  3,150 
calories.  An  analysis  of  the  food  purchases  of  31  fami- 
lies as  recorded  in  account-books  during  the  period  of 
our  field  inquiry  gives  us  a  corresponding  figure  of 
3,025  calories.  The  four  famihes  whose  account-book 
records  showed  their  food  purchases  during  1913-14 
appear  to  have  had  3,100  calories  per  man  per  day. 
In  devising  the  above  standard,  therefore,  the  food 
allowance  per  man  per  day  has  been  made  3,150  calories. 

It  is  important  also  that  the  food  allowance  provide 
a  well-balanced  diet  and  particularly  that  the  quantity 

1  At  the  Paris  session  of  the  Inter-Allied  Scientific  Food  Commission, 
March  25-30,  1918,  it  was  agreed  to  allow  3,000  calories  for  the  "average 
man  "  and  in  addition  to  allow  10  per  cent  for  waste,  thus  bringing  the 
total  allowance  per  man  per  day  up  to  3,300  calories. 


56     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

of  protein  be  adequate.  Here  again  food  authorities 
differ,  but  the  more  general  view  appears  to  be  that 
a  man  at  moderately  active  muscular  work  should 
have  daily  from  100  to  120  grams  of  protein,  from  330 
to  500  grams  of  carbohydrates  and  from  40  to  90  grams 
of  fat.  For  comparison  with  these  requirements,  the  fol- 
lowing table  shows  the  actual  food  habits  of  the  differ- 
ent groups  of  families  included  in  our  investigation: 


Fat 

(Grams) 


Pro- 
tein 

(Grams) 

Carbo- 
hy- 
drates 
(Grams) 

105.9 

100.8 

89.9 

336.4 
415.6 
431.8 

Food  estimates  —260  families,  1916-18     105.9  336.4         92.7 

Account-book  records—  31        "         1917-18     100.8  415.6         93.7 

"      —     4       "         1913-14      89.9  431.8       108.9 

The  food  allowance  in  the  above  standard  provides 
110.8  grams  of  protein,  460.4  grams  of  carbohydrates, 
and  92.2  grams  of  fat. 

In  Tables  6,  7,  and  8  are  showTi  in  detail  the  various 
articles  and  quantities  of  food  consumed  by  three 
distinct  groups  of  workingmen's  famihes  whose  food 
purchases  were  ascertained  and  analyzed. 

Basis  of  prices.  The  prices  appearing  in  the  above 
standard  are  those  current  during  the  first  week  in  De- 
cember, 1918.  They  were  obtained  by  averaging  the 
quotations  of  ''cash  and  carry"  stores  in  various  in- 
dustrial sections  of  the  city  and  are  for  the  most  part 
considerably  lower  than  prices  in  other  neighborhoods 
and  than  prices  in  the  small  credit  stores  in  the  same 
neighborhoods.  In  the  case  of  seasonal  foods,  such  as 
fruits  and  fresh  vegetables,  the  prices  given  are  often 
those  prevaihng  during  the  summer  rather  than  in 
December,  because  these  articles  are  usually  not  bought 
out  of  season  when  prices  are  considerably  higher. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


57 


.5  5  o 

c  -o  « 

of  2G 
cords 
book  I 

m   <u   X, 

o   »-.  -ti 

ci  ^    3 

8  2° 

(o 

CO     1     oj 

v^ 

O    *J       . 

ir/-c/e/  [  1 
9/-/:/s/ 1  ^ 

e  food 
accoun 
ho  kept 

j^jI 

1^ 
1 

<5 

wn  by  th 
who  kept 
amilies  w 

ti-€ie/ 

9/-Z/6I I 

as  sho 
mihes 
four  f 

is-j 

^ 

^ 

C  c;:^  O 

*                        1 

^1 

•>) 

•2^3 

1 

'Q 

i:^ 

jumpt 
n  of  3 
mptio 

1 

1 

AZ-r/iT/ 

c  .2  ^ 

<-0 

e^ 

l_ 

9/-^/6/ 

<0 

-3  a  8 

1        19^ 

< 

2    3-3 

^  So 

<o 

^ 

3            4) 

43  -a  3) 

|:^ 

2  2^ 

Cj     O     >-i 

9/-Z/. 
■2SJ\ 

2 

J2 
_C 

a 

t."  represents 

the  average  f 

esents  the  ave 

\ 

1 

o 

CO 

.2 

-t^/-P/^  1 

1 

^ 

c3 

to  ^   b 

W  a  g- 

e/-//,{Z 

1 

(3 

1 

-►J 
T3 

-a 
c 

ar  labele 

bar  rep 

fourth  b 

1*1 

S 

E 

o 

ond  b 

e  thirc 

The 

13-14. 

i 

o 

S 

to  eH  00  "^ 

1 

^ 

The 

The 

ies. 

917-1 

urine 

:;i  »H  TS 

58     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Table  6.     Annual  Food  Consumption  as  Shown  by  Estimates. 
By  Classes  and  Articles  op  Food 


Classes  and  articles 

OF  FOOD 


All  olasses 

Bread  and  cereals 

Barley 

Bread 

Buckwheat 

Buns  and  rolls 

Cakes,  miscellaneous 

Cereals,       ready- 
cooked,  unspecified. 

Cornflakes 

Cornmeal 

Cornstarch 

Crackers 

Flour,  wheat 

Grapenuts 

Hominy. 

Macaroni 

Noodles 

Oatmeal 

Pies 

Rice 

Shredded  wheat  .  .  .  . 

Spaghetti 

Tapioca 

Wheat  breakfast 
foods 

Meals  arid  fish 

Bacon 

Beef,  dried 

Beef,  fresh 

Clama 

Fish,  canned 

Fish,  fresh 

Fish,  salt  or  dried .  .  . 

Fowl  and  game 

Ham,  luncheon 

Lamb 

Meats,  ready-cooked 

Mutton 

Oysters 

Pork 

Sausage 

Scrapple 

Veal 

Meat  aitbslitiUes 

Beans,  dried 

Buttermilk 

Cheese,  American 

paJe 

Cheese,  cream 

Cheese,  Swiss 

Eggs.  ■■;■-, 

Infants'  food 


Number 

OF 

FAMILIES 

REPORT- 

INQ  USE 

OF 


260 

200 
36 

248 
56 
C4 
72 


27 
131 
191 
152 
255 
2 
4 

68 

2 

212 

34 
247 

20 
122 

54 


260 

83 

65 
259 

11 
105 
179 

72 
172 
103 

68 
141 

72 
107 
167 
141 
168 

54 

260 

207 

41 

147 
16 
33 

251 
2 


Average  per  standard  family 
(3.80  units  of  consumption) 


QUANTITT 


Total 

Protein 

(lbs.) 

(lbs.) 

5,459.52 

323.05 

1,421.49 

158.82 

2.56 

.22 

987.94 

117.56 

6.20 

.40 

68.74 

4.33 

17.04 

1.01 

6.92 

.80 

2.71 

.31 

22.17 

2.04 

12.01 

21.11 

2.15 

152.99 

15.91 

.04 

.01 

.50 

.04 

6.60 

.88 

.04 

.01 

50.29 

8.10 

7.09 

.22 

40.95 

3.28 

1.96 

.21 

10.68 

1.29 

2.59 

.01 

.36 

.04 

492.85 

77.09 

11.25 

1.07 

4.02 

1.81 

237.52 

37.53 

.15 

.02 

3.91 

.80 

49.38 

5.93 

9.29 

1.60 

17.17 

2.35 

17.41 

3.85 

14.68 

2.33 

17.94 

5.51 

14.79 

2.04 

6.05 

.30 

43.96 

5.89 

15.14 

1.97 

21.06 

2.74 

8.53 

1.29 

907.18 

53.23 

28.68 

6.45 

11.32 

.34 

11.53 

3.32 

1.62 

.34 

2  13 

.58 

109.86 

13.07 

1.82 

.23 

Carbo- 
hydrates 
(lbs.) 


1,025.67 

436.21 

2.00 

122.68 

4.83 

39.39 

10.24 

5.32 

2.08 

16.72 

10.81 

15.28 

119.95 

.03 

.40 

4.89 

.03 

33.95 

3.03 

32.35 

1.53 

8.15 

2.28 

.27 

.61 


FaU 
(lbs.) 


.01 


.20 


68.62 

17.09 

.54 


.07 
.03 


1.39 


282.64 

18.17 

.03 

2.96 

.07 

4.47 

1.81 

.10 
.04 
.42 


1.86 

1.84 

(') 

(') 
.06 

(') 

3.62 
.69 
.12 
.03 
.04 

(') 

.01 

87.86 

6.69 

.25 

36.10 

(') 

.34 
1.97 


.39 

11 

.59 

.00 

.33 

.43 

.08 

10.64 

6.69 

9.31 

.94 

49.60 
.52 
.06 

4.14 

.02 

.74 

10.22 

.06 


Fitel  value 
(calories) 


4,361,587.32 

1,899.185.52 

4,243.69 

l,175,f>19.06 

10,048.38 

100,017.26 

28,541.94 

11,784.21 

4,613.14 

36,691.18 

20,119.40 

40,207.27 

260,085 .  76 

73.10 

828.19 

10,988.04 

69.94 

93,538.61 

8,999.10 

66,751.33 

3,330.29 

17,734.18 

4,274.71 

596.76 

514,444.26 
30,219.00 

4,435.20 

221,608.21 

51.10 

2.922.08 
19,161.06 

8,852.41 
13,309.14 
22.285.84 
12,765.84 
20,089 .  73 
18,260.21 

1,392.54 
55,827.04 
32,168.97 
44,743.23 

6,352.66 

427,502.77 

46,024.46 

1,868.26 

23,684.07 
824.07 

4,280.99 
69,762 .  33 

3,264.27 


(')  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


59 


Table  6 — Continued 


Classes  and  articles 

OF  FOOD 


Meat  substitutes  (cont'd) 

Milk,  condensed 

Milk,  evaporated..  .  . 

Milk,  freah 

Milk,  skimmed 

Nuts 

Peanut  butter 

Peas,  dried 

Shortening 

Butter 

Crisco 

Lard 

Oleomargarine 

Olive  oil 

Suet 


Vegetables,  fresh 

Asparagus 

Beets 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Cauliflower 

Celery 

Corn 

Cucumbers 

Eggplant 

Lettuce 

Lima  beans 

Onions 

Parsnips 

Peas 

Peppers 

Potatoes,  Irish 

Potatoes,  sweet.  .  .  . 

Pumpkins 

Radishes 

Rhubarb 

Spinach 

Squash 

String  beana 

Tomatoes 

Turnips 

Vegetables,     unspeci- 
fied   


Number 

OF 

FAMILIES 
REPORT- 
ING USB 
OF 


Vegetables,  canned 

Asparagus 

Baked  beans 

Beets 

Com 

Lima  beans 

Onions 

Peas 

Soups,  unspecified .  .  . 

String  beans 

Tomatoes 

Vegetables,     unspeci- 
fied  


91 
66 
226 
6 
77 
99 
45 

260 
194 
39 
217 
89 
53 
11 

260 

28 

57 

183 

125 

8 

17 

197 

12 

17 

107 

92 

256 

4 

70 

7 

260 

6 

1 

7 

4 

59 

1 

162 

253 

121 


232 
3 

51 
1 

147 
6 
1 

148 
8 
8 

173 

10 


Average  per  standard  family 
(3.80  units  of  co.nsumptio.v) 


Quantity 


Total 
(lbs.) 


Protein 
(lbs.) 


17.91 
22 .  25 
682.21 
8.04 
1.50 
5.45 
2.86 

135.12 
62.71 

4.25 
35.97 
27.99 

2.33 

1 

1,620.90 

3.24 

11.24 

75.68 

38.67 

1.87 

1.49 

89 .  23 

1.37 

1.00 

2.41 

24 .  S6 

90.83 

1.04 

21.86 

1.53 

994.29 

7.05 

.02 

.64 

.64 

8.77 

.26 

42.91 

159.38 

34.32 

6.30 

88.92 

.58 

8.09 

.43 

18.25 
.56 
.03 

20.06 

2.46 

.43 

36.29 

1.74 


1.58 

2.14 

22.51 

.27 

.10 

1.60 

.70 


.34 


.08 

26.58 

.06 

.15 

1.06 
.34 
.03 
.01 

1.07 
.01 
.01 
.02 
.80 

1.27 
.01 
.79 
.01 
17.90 
.10 

(■) 
.01 

(') 
.18 

(■) 
.90 

1.43 
.31 

.11 
2.35 
.01 
.56 
.01 
.51 
.02 
(') 
,72 
.05 
.01 
.44 

.02 


Carbo- 
hydrates 
(lbs.) 


9.69 

2.49 

34.11 

.41 

.10 

.93 

1.77 


186.78 

.11 

.86 

3.67 

2 .  86 

.09 

.04 

6.87 

.04 

.05 

.06 

2.46 

8.08 

.11 

2.14 

.06 

146.16 

1.16 

(■) 

.03 

.01 

.28 

.  01 

3.00 

6.22 

1.96 

.45 
8.76 

.02 
1.59 

.03 
3.47 

.08 
(') 
1.96 

.08 

.01 
1.45 

.07 


Fats 
(lbs.) 


1.49 

2.07 

27.29 

.02 

.40 

2.54 

.03 

120.62 

53.31 

4.25 

35.97 

23.23 

2.33 

1.53 

2.91 
.06 
.01 
.15 
.07 
.01 

(■) 
.36 

(') 

(') 
.01 
.07 
.27 

(') 
.04 

(') 
.99 
.04 

(') 

(■) 

(■) 

(>) 

(■) 
.13 
.64 
.03 

.03 
.55 
.01 
.20 

(') 
.22 

(>) 

(') 
.04 
.01 

(') 
.07 

(0 


Fuel  value 
(calories) 


25.610.25 

17,355.00 

211,483.80 

1,327.23 

1,872.59 

15,404 .  10 

4,741.35 

510,582.45 

226,085 .  00 

17,955.37 

151,781.51 

98,659.17 

9,492.94 

6,608.46 

404,276.00 

340.03 

1,797.83 

8,703.59 

6,186.79 

261.62 

96.94 

16,060.83 

88.75 

129.50 

156.85 

6,338.45 

17,257.17 

239 . 77 

5,573.22 

138.39 

308,228.76 

3,243.53 

.93 

60.80 

41.41 

832 . 63 

26.06 

7,294.36 

15,938.01 

4,118.17 

1,121.61 

22,206.31 

48.90 

4,489.82 

78.93 

8,305.10 

201.54 

5.23 

5.115.43 

307.65 

41.08 

3,447.52 

165.11 


(0  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


60     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  6 — Continued 


Classes  and  Awncixa 

or  FOOD 


fruits,  freah 

Apples 

Ban&nas 

Berries,  unspecified . 

Blackberries 

Cantaloupes 

Cherries 

Currants 

Gooseberries 

Grapefruit 

Grapes 

Lemons 

Oranges 

Peaches 

Peara 

F*ineapplcs 

Plunis 

Raspberries 

Strawberries 

Watermelons 


Fruits,  canned 

Cherries 

Fruits,  unspecified . 

Peaches 

Pears 

Pineapple 


PruiU,  dried 

Apples 

Apricots 

Currants ......... 

Fruits,  unspecified. 

Peaches 

Prunes 

Raisins 


Sugara 

Jams  and  Jellies.  . 

Molasses 

Sugar,  granulated . 

Bereraoet 

Cereal  cofifee 

Cocoa 

Coffee 

Tea 


Miacetianeoua .... 

Olives 

Pickles 

Sauerkraut .... 
Tomato  ratnup. 


NnuBER 

or 

rAMlLIES 

REPOKT- 

INQ  nsB 

or 


253 

226 

63 

22 

7 

9 

6 

4 

1 

10 

32 

1 

136 

209 

33 

11 

17 

1 

30 


41 
5 
8 
24 
10 
11 

200 

1 

5 

3 

121 

10 

48 

137 

260 
100 
202 
259 

260 
4 
149 
249 
241 

210 
4 

91 
173 

55 


Average  per  standard  familt 

(3.80  UNITS  or  CONHOMPTION) 


Quantity 


ToUd 


389.93 

212  48 

9.44 

3.92 

.46 

1.79 

.22 

.07 

.02 

4.18 

2.73 

.08 

53.27 

87.36 

8.21 

.71 

.88 

.06 

2.75 

1.30 

5.14 

.25 

.66 

2.19 

1.05 

.99 

22.43 

.10 

.26 

.11 

10.52 

.81 

3.25 

7.38 

281.63 
11  70 
20  .59 

243.34 


66.26 

.48 

4  98 

4fi..'>2 

14.28 


27.67 
.07 

4.13 
19.69 

3  78 


Protein 
(U>a.) 


1.68 
.64 
OS 
.04 
.01 
.01 

(') 

(') 

(') 
.03 
.03 

(■) 
.32 
.44 
.04 

{') 
.01 
.01 
.02 

(') 

.03 

(') 
.01 
.02 

(') 

(') 

.61 

(') 
.01 

(') 
..34 
.04 
.05 
.17 

.12 
.12 


1.08 

(') 
1.08 


(') 


Carbo- 

hudrales 

itbs.) 


38  39 

22.95 

1.3.') 

.40 

.05 

.08 

.02 

.01 

(') 

.36 

.39 

.01 

4  53 

0 .  73 

1.04 

.06 

.17 

.01 

.19 

.04 

.91 
.05 
.07 
.24 
.19 
.36 

14.66 

.07 

.16 

.08 

6.77 

.50 

2.02 

5.06 

267.50 

5.55 

18.61 

243.34 

1.89 

.01 

1.88 


1.34 
.01 
.11 
.75 
.47 


PaU 


.95 
.64 
.04 
.04 
.01 


(') 


(') 
.03 

(') 
.05 
.09 
.03 

(') 


.02 


(') 


(') 
(•) 
(') 
(') 
.01 

.40 

(') 

(') 

(') 
.17 
.01 


.22 


1.44 


1.44 


.13 
.01 
.01 
.10 
.01 


Fuel  value 
{caioriei) 


09.827.41 

40.370.79 

2.455  24 

835.78 

123  23 

143.17 

57.30 

19  18 

5  70 

627  22 

806.41 

10.14 

7,990  34 

13,540  58 

1.887  .36 

141   31 

324   14 

11  94 

412.06 

64.80 

1,810.91 
104.15 
145  08 
480.77 
372.82 
707.49 

28,166.65 
120.10 
293  19 
161  62 

12,1.52  03 

907  82 

3.861   76 

10,670.13 

468,978.55 
10..568.41 
32,568.92 

425,841.22 

10,778  98 

14  42 

10.764.58 


3,827  51 

73  77 

280  22 

2.461    63 

1 .002  89 


(■)  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


61 


Table  7.  Annual  Food  Consumption  During  1917-18  as  Shown 
BY  THE  Account-Book  Records  of  31  Families.  By  Classes 
AND  Articles  of  Food 


Clabses  and  arttclbs 

OF  FOOD 


All  OLABSEa . 


Bread  and  cereals 

Barley 

Hread 

Buckwheat 

Buns  anil  rolls 

Cakes,  miscellaneous 
Cereals,  ready- 
cooked,  unspecified  . 

Cornflakes 

Commeal 

Cornstarch 

Crackers 

Flour,  wheat 

Hominy 

Macaroni 

Noodles 

Oatmeal 

Pies 

Rice 

Shredded  wheat 

Spaghetti 

Tapioca 

Wheat  breakfast 
foods 


Meats  and  fish 

Bacon 

Beef,  dried 

Beef,  fresh 

Clams 

Fish,  canned 

Fish,  fresh 

Fish,  salt  or  dried .  .  . 

Fowl  and  game 

Ham,  luncheon 

Lamb 

Meats,  ready-cooked 
Meats,  unspecified. .  . 

Mutton 

Oysters 

Pork 

Sausage 

Scrapple 

Veal 


Meat  substiirUes.  .  .  . 

Bean.s,  dried 

Buttermilk 

Cheese,  American 

pale 

Cheese,  Swiss .... 

Cocoanut 

Eggs 


Number 

OK 

FAMILIES 
REPORT- 
ING D8E 
OF 


31 
31 
4 
31 
11 
16 

29 

1 

7 

9 

7 

21 

21 

2 

13 

9 

IS 

13 

20 

8 


31 
IS 
10 
30 

C, 
19 
17 
12 

9 
22 
12 
23 

2 

3 
IG 
21 
24 
21 
13 

31 

20 

1 

23 
3 
3 

30 


AVEKAOE  PER  STANDARD   FAMILY 
(3.80  UNITS  OF  CON8D.SIPTION) 


Quantity             j 

Total 
{lbs.) 

Protein 

(lbs.) 

Carbo- 
hydrates 
(lbs.) 

Fats 
(.lbs.) 

5,120.55 

307 . 35 

1.267.32 

284.09 

1.176.61 

129 . 59 

680.06 

21. 34 

2.52 

.21 

1.96 

.03 

780.46 

92.87 

401.  SM 

2.34 

10.31 

.60 

8.03 

.12 

46.67 

2.94 

26.74 

3.03 

79.12 

4.67 

47.55 

8.39 

1   SO 

.21 

1.38 

.03 

1,2(1 

.14 

.92 

.02 

10.79 

.99 

8.14 

.21 

3.12 

2.81 

23  23 

2.37 

16.82 

2.04 

118,82 

12.36 

93.15 

1.43 

1 .  20 

.10 

.95 

.01 

9.44 

1.26 

7.00 

.08 

14.63 

1.71 

11.06 

.15 

37 .  89 

6.10 

25.58 

2.73 

4.83 

.15 

2.07 

.47 

15.11 

1.21 

11.94 

.05 

12.59 

1.32 

9.81 

.IS 

.90 

.11 

.69 

(') 

.24 

(■) 

.21 

(') 

1.74 

.21 

1.31 

.03 

5.34.28 

91.94 

1.49 

99.57 

17.53 

1.67 

10.41 

2.52 

.99 

.14 

202.67 

32.02 

30.81 

.89 

.09 

.05 

.01 

4  63 

.95 

.40 

24 .  52 

2  94 

.98 

10.22 

1.76 

1.53 

15.83 

2  17 

1.95 

15.20 

3. 36 

3.13 

25.49 

4.05 

3  47 

86.76 

26.64 

11.28 

.22 

.03 

.03 

1.80 

.25 

.42 

24.57 

1.47 

.81 

.32 

32.39 

4.34 

7.84 

.35.77 

4.65 

.39 

15.81 

22  24 

2.89 

.24 

9  83 

11.03 

1.67 

1.21 

1.124.28 

57.37 

71.56 

56.17 

27  28 

6  14 

16.26 

.49 

1   03 

.03 

.05 

.01 

15.51 

4.47 

5.57 

.36 

.10 

(') 

.13 

..36 

.02 

.11 

.21 

104.15 

1 2   .39 

9.69 

Fuel  taltie 
{calories) 


4,189.869.19 

1.593,986  60 

4,158  00 

928,747  40 

16.702.20 

67.904.85 

132.526.00 

3.063 .  60 

2,042  40 
17,857  45 

5.226.00 

44.253   15 

201.994.00 

1.980.00 
1.5,717  60 
24.358  95 
70.475  40 

6,134.10 
24,629  30 
21.403.(X) 

1.494  (H) 
396.00 

2.923 .  20 

593.372 ,  63 

47.068  05 

2.419  20 

189,091    11 

302  60 

3.463.24 

9.513.76 

9.739.66 

12.268.25 

19,456  00 

22.176.30 

97,171   20 

205  26 

2.223  00 

5.651 .  10 

41.1.35  30 

76.011   25 

47,260  00 

8.217.35 

465,577  50 

43,784  40 

169.95 

31.873  05 

723  60 

1.031   40 

66.1.35  25 


(■)  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


62     Warkingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  7 — Continued 


CLASeES  AND  ARTICLES 
OF  FOOD 


Number 
or 

FAMILIES 

KKPORT- 

INQ  rsB 

OF 


AVERAQE  PER  STANDARD  FAMILY 
(3.80  DN1T8  OF  consumption) 


Quantity 

Total 
(lb».) 

Protein 

Carbo- 

hydralea 

(lbs.) 

FcUs 
(lbs.) 

8.10 

.71 

4.38 

.67 

.24 

.02 

.03 

.02 

931.54 

30.74 

46.58 

37.26 

26.81 

.91 

1.37 

.08 

2.70 

.19 

.18 

.72 

2.78 

.81 

.48 

1.29 

3.42 

.84 

2.12 

.03 

114.55 

.92 

101.12 

01.51 

.62 

52.28 

3  72 

3.72 
20.08 
20.20 

20.08 

24.34 

.29 

4.54 

4.54 

.36 

.01 

.30 

1,124.49 

19.31 

130.61 

2.03 

9.35 

.17 

.31 

.02 

23.38 

.30 

1.80 

.02 

53.48 

.75 

2.57 

.11 

30.91 

.28 

2.29 

.06 

7.67 

.14 

.36 

.04 

5.87 

.05 

.15 

.01 

23  37 

.28 

1.80 

.0!) 

3.9C 

.03 

.10 

.01 

1.80 

.02 

.09 

.01 

6.71 

.07 

.17 

.01 

49.13 

1.57 

4.86 

.15 

43.65 

.61 

3.88 

.13 

2.03 

.03 

.22 

.01 

28.36 

1.02 

2.78 

.06 

2.18 

.03 

.08 

(') 

657.69 

11.84 

96.68 

.66 

24.32 

.34 

5.33 

.15 

.84 

(■) 

.02 

(')   . 

1 .  59 

.01 

.06 

(') 

15.65 

.06 

.34 

.06 

2.18 

.05 

.07 

.01 

.96 

.01 

.04 

(') 

40.71 

.85 

2.81 

.12 

69.79 

.63 

2.72 

.28 

18.91 

.17 

1.08 

.02 

131.50 

4.33 

15.01 

1.16 

1.20 

.02 

.03 

(0 

24.88 

1.72 

4.88 

.62 

1.02 

.02 

.08 

(') 

27.87 

.78 

5 .  30 

..33 

30.20 

1.09 

2.96 

.06 

11.60 

.28 

.37 

.07 

.29 

.01 

.01 

.01 

34.44 

.41 

1.38 

.07 

517.11 

2.33 

53.31 

1.47 

252.22 

.76 

27.24 

.76 

17.64 

.14 

2.52 

.07 

3.15 

.03 

.32 

.04 

Fuel  value 
(calories) 


Meat  subatUutea  (cont'd.) 

Milk,  condensed 

Milk,  evaporated..  .  . 

Milk,  fresh 

Milk,  skimmed 

Nuta 

Peanut  butter 

Peas,  dried 

Shortening 

Butter 

Crisco 

Lard 

Oleomargarine 

Olive  oil 

Suet 


Vegetables,  fresh .  .  , 

Asparagus 

Beets 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Cauliflower.  ... 

Celery 

Com 

Cucumbers .... 

Eggplant 

Lettuce 

Lima  beans.  .  .  . 

Onions 

Parsnips 

Peas 

Peppers ....... 

Potatoes,  Irish . 
Potatoes,  sweet . 

Pumpkins 

Radishes 

Rhubarb 

Spinach 

Squash 

String  beans .  . . 

Tomatoes 

Turnips 


Vegetables,  canned.  .  . 

Asparagus 

Beans 

Beets 

Com 

Peas 

Soups,  unspecified . 

Spinach 

Tomatoes 

Fruits,  fresh 

Apples . 


Bananas 

Bcrrirs,  unspecified . 


17 
1 

31 
1 
7 
7 

•6 

31 

28 

4 

26 

12 

6 

2 

31 
5 

8 

24 

20 

8 

16 

7 

5 

3 

20 

9 

30 

3 

6 

7 

27 

10 

1 

6 

7 

4 

2 

11 

17 

13 

28 

2 

17 

1 

18 

16 

13 

1 

20 

30 

25 

12 

3 


11,583.00 
187.20 
288,777.40 
4,423.65 
3,375.00 
7,853.50 
5.660.10 

427,784.73 
221,743.55 
15,698.40 
84,737.60 
85,798.-50 
18,532.28 
1.274.40 

283,879.00 

981.75 

3,740.80 

6,1.50.20 

4.945.60 

1,073.80 

381.55 

4,206  60 

257 . 40 

2,34  00 

4.30.15 

12,528.15 

8,293.. 50 

466 . 90 

7,231.80 

189.00 

203,883 .  90 

11,187.20 

50.40 

151.05 

1,017.25 

207 . 10 

96.00 

6,920.70 

6.979.00 

2,269.20 

39.278.15 

102.00 

13.808.40 

188.70 

12,680.85 

7.701.00 

1,450.00 

75.40 

3.271.80 

96,704.50 

47.921.80 

4,586.40 

670.95 


(■)  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


63 


Table  7 — Continued 


Classes  and  abticles 

OF  FOOD 


Fruit,  fresh  {cont'd.) 

Cantaloupes 

Crab  apples 

Cranberries 

Grapefruit 

Grapes 

Lemons 

Oranges 

Peaches 

Pears 

Pineapples 

Plums 

Quinces 

Strawberries 


Fruits,  canned. 
Cherries.  .  . 
Peaches .  . . . 

Pears 

Pineapple..  . 


Fruits,  dried  , 
Apricots.  . 
Citron .  .  . . 
Peaches .  . , 
Prunes . . . . 
Raisins. . . 


Sugars 

Apple  butter 

Candy 

Jams  and  jellies .  .  . 

Molasses 

Sugar,  brown 

Sugar,  granulated . 

Sugar,  loaf 

Syrup 

Beverages , 

Cocoa 

Coffee 

Tea 


Miscellaneous. . . . 
Mincemeat .  .  . . 

Olives 

Sauerkraut. .  .  . 
Tomato  catsup  . 


NUMBEB 

OF 
F.\MIUEa 
REPORT- 
ING 08B 
OF 


1 
1 
.3 

5 

9 

10 

16 

11 

10 

2 

3 

1 

1 

9 
1 

6 
2 
5 

18 

2 

2 

5 

10 

11 

31 
2 

20 
9 

18 
1 

29 
2 
4 

30 
12 
29 
23 

24 

2 

2 

18 

15 


Average  per  standard  family 

(3.80  UNITS  OF  consumption) 


Quantity 


Total 
{lbs.) 


1.08 

3.60 

1.59 

11.15 

14.81 

10.46 

83.51 

65.69 

46.99 

.72 

3.15 

.90 

.45 

14.78 

.24 

9.35 

2.88 

2.31 

15.92 

.36 

.09 

1.92 

6.12 

7.43 

308.05 

2.19 

16.14 

2.76 

11.06 

.48 

271.94 

.72 

2.76 

38.61 
2.70 

29.50 
6.41 

26.37 

.71 

.16 

17.99 

7.51 


Protein 
{lbs.) 


(>) 
.01 
.01 
.07 
.15 
.07 
.50 
.33 
.23 

(0 
.03 

(•) 

(') 

.09 

(') 
.07 
.01 
.01 

.39 
.02 
(0 
.09 
.11 
.17 

.03 
{') 
".03 


.58 
.58 


.47 
.05 
(') 
.31 
.11 


Carbo- 
hydrates 
{lbs.) 


.05 

.39 

.16 

.95 

2.13 

.62 

7.10 

5.06 

5.97 

.07 

.60 

.10 

.03 

1.42 
.05 
.01 
.52 
.84 

10.40 

.23 

.07 

1.20 

3.81 

5.09 

300.40 

.81 

15.49 

1.31 

7.74 

.46 

271.94 

.72 

1.93 

1.02 
1.02 


2.04 
.43 
.01 
.68 
.92 


Fats 

{lbs.) 


.01 
.01 
.01 
.18 
.05 
.08 
.07 
.19 


(') 
(') 

.04 

(') 
.01 
.01 
.02 

.24 


(') 
(') 


.02 


.22 
.02 
.02 


Fuel  valxi« 
{calories) 


86.40 

684.00 

341.85 

1,672.50 

4,368.95 

1,307.50 

12,526.50 

10,181.95 

10,807.70 

144.00 

1,165.50 

171.00 

67.50 

4,830.65 
99.60 
2,057.00 
1,022.40 
1.651.63 

20,721.40 

405.00 

137.25 

2,160.00 

7,282.80 

10.736.35 

652,572.58 

1.598.70 

28,809.90 

2,492.28 

13.548.50 

847.20 

475,895.00 

126,000.00 

3,381.00 

5,832.00 
5,832.00 


5,329.43 

926.53 

164.00 

2,248.75 

1,990.15 


(')  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


C4     Workingmens  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Table  8.  Annual  Food  Consumption  During  1913-14  as  Shown  by 
Account-Hook  Recouus  ok  Fouu  F'amilieb.  Hy  Classes  and 
Akticles  of  Food 


Classes  and  articles 

or  FOOD 


All  CLASSES 

Bread  and  cereal* 

Barley 

Hn-ad 

Buckwheat 

Buns  and  rolls 

Cakes,  miscellaneous 
Cereals,  ready- 
cooked,  UQspeciBed. 

Cornflakes 

Cornmeal 

Cornstarch 

Crackers 

Flour,  wheat 

Noodles 

Oatmeal 

Pies 

Rice 

Shreddeti  wheat 

Tapioca 

Meats  and  fish 

Bacon 

Beef,  fresh 

Clams 

Fish,  canned 

Fish,  fresh. 

Fish,  salt  or  dried .  .  . 

Fowl  and  game 

Ham.  luncheon 

Lamb 

Meats,  ready-cooked 
Meats,  unspecified. .  . 

Mutton 

Oysters 

Pork 

Sausage 

Scrapple 

Veal 

Meat  substitutes 

Beans,  dried 

Cheese,  American 

^: :::::. :::.::: 

Muk,  condensed 

Milk,  evaporated. .  .  . 

Milk,  fresh 

Nuts 

Peanut  butter 

Peas,  dried 

Shortening 

Butter 


NCUBBR 

OF 
FAMIUEH 
BEPORT- 
INQ  (J8E 

OF 


AVERAOE  PEIi  HTANUAKU  FAMILY 
(.3. SO  U.NITH  OK  CONHUMITIO.N) 


Quantity 


Total 
(lbs.) 


J.Ul.tW 

793.50 
2.1 

2C3 . 33 

1.30 

27.93 

135.35 

18.70 

6.96 

2.17 

.43 

21.74 

268. 3 

3.10 

9.78 

12.28 

18.26 

.33 

1.30 

731.37 

27 . 3.' 

223.28 

1.09 

15.91 

28.70 

6.09 

23 .  48 

35.98 

40.27 

43.95 

9.18 

49.11 

106.30 

87.12 

19.87 

6.. 30 

7.39 

913.51 
8.91 

26.83 

1.59.69 

22.99 

..33 

685 . 20 

1.96 

1.30 

6.30 

1.39.89 
99   13 


Protein 
(lbs.) 


274.38 

78.46 

.18 

31. 34 

.08 

1.76 

7.99 

2.17 
.81 
.20 


2.21 
27.91 

.36 
1..57 

.38 
1.46 

.03 

.01 

107.63 
2.60 

35.28 
.12 
3.28 
3.44 
1 .  05 
3.22 
7.95 
6.40 

13.49 
1.45 
6.78 
6 .  .38 

11.67 

2.. 58 

.82 

1.12 

55.46 
2.00 

7,73 

19.00 

2.02 

.03 

22.61 

.14 

.  38 

1 .  55 

1.02 
.99 


Carbo- 

hydrates 

(lbs.) 


1,316.87 

513.57 

1.69 

135.61 

1.01 

16.00 

81.35 

14.36 

5.35 

1.64 

.39 

15.74 

210.40 

2.34 

6.60 

5.26 

14.43 

.26 

1.14 

3.86 


PaU 


.06 


3.51 


56.31 
5.31 


12.44 
.04 

34.26 

.13 

.22 

3.91 


332.13 

24.51 

.02 

.79 

.02 

1.82 

14.35 

.26 
.10 
.04 


1.91 
3.22 
.03 
.70 
1.20 
.05 
(') 
(') 

122.74 

16.25 

33.94 

.01 

1.37 

1.15 

.91 

2.89 

7.41 

5.48 

5.71 

1.40 

11. 39 

1.38 

21.08 

8.78 

2.78 

.81 

55.20 
.16 

9.63 

14.88 

1.91 

.03 

27.41 

.52 

.60 

.06 

124.87 
84.26 


Fuel  value 
(calories) 


4.296,136.33 

1,203.444 .  92 

3.580. 50 

313,362.70 

2.106.00 

40,638.15 

226,711.25 

31,827.40 

11,845.92 

3,591 .  35 

720.25 

41,414.70 

456,229.00 

5,161.50 

18.190.80 

15,595.60 

29,763.80 

561.00 

2,145.00 

724,899.93 

73,4.34.75 

208,320.24 

370.60 

11,900.68 

11,135.60 

5,803.77 

18.197.00 

46,054 .  40 

35,034 .  90 

49,224.00 

8,564 .  94 

60.650 .  85 

24.449.00 

110,642.40 

42.223.75 

13,387. 50 

5,505.55 

432.933.45 
14.300.55 

55,135.65 

101,403.15 

32,875.70 

257.40 

212.412  00 

2,4,50.00 

3,672 .  .50 

10,426.50 

528,069.73 
357,363.63 


(■)  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


r/ie  Standard  of  Living 


65 


Table  8 — Continued 


Classes  and  articles 

or  FOOD 


Shortening  {continued) 

Crisco 

Lard 

Olive  oil 

Suet 


Vegetables,  fresh .  . 

Asparagus 

Beets 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Cauliflower .... 

Celery 

Com 

Cucumbers.  .  .  . 

Eggplant 

I^ettuce 

Lima  beans. .  .  . 

Onions 

Peas 

Peppers ....... 

Potatoes,  Irish . 
Potatoes,  sweet . 

Radishes 

Rhubarb 

Spinach 

String  beans .  .  . 

Tomatoes 

Turnips 


Vegetables,  canned. 

Beans 

Corn 

Peas 

Tomatoes 


Fruits,  fresh 

Apples 

Bananas 

Berries,  unsjjecified . 

Cantaloupes 

Grapes 

Lemons 

Peaches 

Pears 

Watermelons 

Fruits,  canned 

Apricots 

Peaches 

Pears 

Pineapple 

Fruits,  dried 

Apples 

Citron 

Currants 

Figs 


Number 

OF 

families 

REPORT- 
ING USE 


Average  per  8ta.ndaiu>  family 
(3.80  UNITS  OF  co.nsumptio.n) 


QUA.VTITT 

Total 
(lbs.) 

Protein 
(lbs.) 

Carbo- 
hydrates 
(lbs.) 

Fats 
(lbs.) 

.5  65 

5.65 
29.02 

29.02 

5.24 

5.24 

.85 

.03 

.70 

1,666.50 

27.65 

212.42 

2.64 

2.61 

.05 

.09 

.01 

4 .  35 

.06 

..33 

(') 

41.74 

.58 

2.00 

.08 

3.48 

.03 

.26 

.01 

8.70 

.16 

.41 

.04 

5.87 

.05 

.15 

.01 

69.73 

.84 

5.37 

.28 

5.22 

.04 

.14 

.01 

5.87 

.07 

.30 

.02 

2.83 

.03 

.07 

.01 

.35.00 

1.12 

3.47 

.11 

84.13 

.18 

7.49 

.25 

22.01 

.79 

2.10 

.04 

.22 

.01 

(') 

1,224.98 

22.05 

180.07 

1.22 

20.00 

.28 

4.. 39 

.12 

1.85 

.02 

.07 

(') 

7.83 

.03 

.17 

.03 

1.09 

.02 

.03 

(') 

14.74 

.31 

1.02 

.0-t 

84.30 

.76 

3.29 

.34 

19.83 

.18 

1.13 

.02 

45.17 

1.58 

5.99 

.37 

5.98 

.41 

1.17 

.15 

13.91 

.39 

2.64 

.17 

20.11 

.72 

1.97 

.04 

5.17 

.06 

.21 

.01 

213.29 

1.31 

21.82 

1.04 

34.65 

.10 

3.74 

.10 

17.22 

.14 

2.46 

.07 

35.87 

.39 

3.60 

.43 

17.83 

.05 

.82 

21.20 

.21 

3.05 

.25 

l.,52 

.01 

.09 

.01 

48.91 

.24 

3.77 

.05 

32.01 

.10 

4.14 

.13 

3.48 

.01 

.09 

(') 

58.37 

.29 

16.97 

.30 

4.35 

.04 

.75 

9.67 

.07 

1.04 

.01 

5.22 

.02 

.94 

.02 

39.13 

.16 

14.24 

.27 

15.77 

.37 

10.43 

.27 

1.09 

.02 

.72 

.02 

.22 

(') 

.17 

(') 

6.09 

.15 

4 .  52 

.10 

.11 

(') 

.08 

(•) 

Fuel  value 
(calories) 


23.843.00 

122.464.40 

21,389.68 

3.009  00 

455,402.65 

274.05 

690.00 

4,800.10 

5.56.80 

1,218.00 

381.55 

12,551.40 

339.30 

763.10 

183.95 

8,940.30 

15,984.70 

5,612.55 

19.80 

379,743  80 

9,227 .  60 

175.75 

508.95 

103.55 

2,505.80 

8,436.00 

2.379.60 

15.267.15 

3,318.90 

6,.329.05 

5,128.05 

491.15 

41.826.76 
6.583 .  .50 
4,477.20 
7,640.31 
1,426.40 
6,254.00 

190.00 
7,581.05 
7.500.30 

174.00 

33,437.45 
1,479.00 
2,127.40 
1,853.10 

27,977.95 

21.885.70 

1.291.65 

.335.50 

9,104.55 

162.25 


(')  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


66     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  8 — Continued 


Classes  and  articles 

OF  FOOD 


Fruits,  dried  (^continued) 

Peaches 

Prunes 

Raisins 


Sugars 

Candy 

Jams  and  jellies.  . 

Marmalade 

Molasses 

Sugar,  granulated . 
Syrup 


Beverages. 
Cocoa. 
Coffee. 
Tea. . . 


Miscellaneous.  .  .  . 
Sauerkraut. .  .  . 
Tomato  catsup. 


Number 

OF 
FAMILIES 
REPORT- 
INO  USE 

OF 


Average  per  standard  family 
(3.80  UNITS  OF  consumption) 


Quantity 


Total 
(lbs.) 


.87 
2.01 
4.78 

493.92 

28.24 

32.83 

1.30 

.98 

428.04 

2.53 

30.32 

.54 

11.52 

18.26 

10.01 
2.39 
7.62 


Protein 
ilbs.) 


.12 
.12 


Carbo- 
hydrates 
(lbs.) 


.05 
1.62 
3.27 

474.27 

27.11 

15.56 

1.10 

.69 

428.04 

1.77 

.20 
.20 


Fal-s 
(lbs). 


.01 


.14 


(') 


Fuel  value 
(calories) 


978.75 
3,105.90 
6.907.10 

835,484.14 

50,408.40 

29,645.49 

2,060.50 

1.200.50 

749,070.00 

3,099.25 

1.166.40 
1,166.40 


2,318.05 

298.75 

2.019.30 


(')  Less  than  one  two-hundredth  of  1  pound. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


G7 


CLOTHING 


Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 


Prioe  per 

ARTIOLE 


Annual 
quantity 


Annual 

COST 


Total. 


Total  for  husband 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixture,  30  per  cent  wool, 

lined  or  unlined 

Hats,  soft  or  stiff  felt,  medium  grade 

Hats,  cheapest  straw,  stiff  brimmed 

Sweaters,  60  per  cent  wool 

Overcoats,  overcoating,  40  per  cent  wool 

Suits,  cheviot  or  cassimere,  50  per  cent  wool .... 

Extra  trousers,  worsted  face,  cotton  back 

Overalls,  denim 

Working  shirts,  cotton  flannel  or  flannelette .... 

Working  shirts,  cotton  shirting 

Dress  shirts,  printed  madjas 

Collars,  stiff  or  soft  washable 

Ties,  silk  and  cotton  four-in-hand 

Suspenders,  cotton  or  lisle  elastic  web 

Belts,  cheap  leather 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Nightshirts  (homemade),  5  yds.  36  inch  muslin, 

thread,  and  buttons 

Nightshirts  (homemade),  5  yds.  36  inch  outing 

flannel,  thread,  and  buttons. 

Summer  underwear,  sets,  Balbriggan 

Winter  underwear,  sets,  25  per  cent  wool 

Socks,  common  cotton 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half-soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm 

Gloves,  knitted  yam,  75  per  cent  wool 

Garters,  cotton  elastic  web 


i     .75 

2.25 

1.50 

5.00 

16.50 

16.50 

4.50 

1.50 

1.65 

1.50 

1.50 

.25 

.65 

.50 

.50 

.125 

1.00 

1.00 
1.50 
2.30 

.25 
5.50 
1.50 
1.50 
1.00 

.50 


Total  for  wife 

Hats,  plain  velvet,  little  trimming 

Hats,  plain  straw,  little  trimming 

Coats,  Kersey  cloth,  pile  fabric,  cheviot,  or  mixtures. 
Wash  dresses  (homemade),  6  yds.  36  inch  gingham 

or  percale,  thread,  and  buttons 

Suits,  wool  poplin,  or  other  material,  50  per  cent  wool 

Skirts,  serge,  panama  cloth,  or  plaid  mixtures 

Shirtwaists  (homemade),  2J^  yds.  cotton  voile  or 

lawn,  thread,  and  buttons 

Shirtwaists  (homemade),  2}4  yds-  36  inch  washable 

silk,  thread,  and  buttons 

Petticoats  (homemade),  3M  yds.  27  or  36  inch  mus- 
lin, cambric,  or  sateen,  thread,  and  buttons 

Corsets,  standard  make 

Corset  covers,  cambric  with  narrow  embroidered  or 

lace  edging 

Summer  underwear,  cotton  ribbed  union  suits. ..... 

Winter  underwear,  winter  weight  cotton  union  suits 
Nightgowns  (homemade),  4  yds.  36  inch  nainsook, 

muslin,  or  outing  flannel,  thread,  and  buttons .... 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton . 

Gloves,  cotton  or  chamoisette 

Aprons  (homemade),  5  yds.  30  inch  figured  percale 

or  gingham,  thread,  and  buttons 

Stockings,  plain  cotton 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half-soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm 


$3.50 

1.50 

15.00 

1.75 

16.00 

5.00 

.75 

2.50 

1.50 
2.00 

.40 

.75 

1.50 

1.25 
.10 
.75 

1.50 
.25 
5.00 
1.50 
1.00 


y% 


1 
3 
1 
12 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 


y% 
1 

y^ 

2y^ 
y^ 
1 


2 
1 

2 
3 
2 

2 
6 
1 


$299.43 

%  77.68 

%       .75 

1.13 

.75 

2.50 

5.50 

16.50 

4.50 

3.00 

3.30 

3.00 

3.00 

1.50 

1.95 

.50 

.25 

.73 

1.00 

1.00 
4.50 
2.30 
3.00 
11.00 
3.00 
1.50 
1.00 
.50 

$65 . 78 

$  1.75 

1.50 

7.50 

4.38 
8.00 
5.00 

2.23 

1.23 

3.00 
2.00 

.80 
2.23 
3.00 

2.50 
.60 

.73 


10.00 
1.60 
1.00 


68     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clothing — Continued 


Total  for  boy.  age  13 1 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixture.  30  per  cent  wool. 

bned  or  unlined 

Hats,  wool  and  cotton  mixture 

Sweaters.  60  per  cent  wool ■ • 

Overcoats,  overcoating,  30  per  cent  wool.  .  .  . ..  •  •  •■  • 

K!  W)  ^r  cent  wool,  caasimere.  union  cheviot,  or 

Ex\«*''t^u9er8.  35  per  cent  wool,  union  cheviot 

Extra  trousers,  cotton  khaki      .... .' " ',  '  ' 

Bloules  (homemade).  24  yds.  30  inch  percale  or 

giiiKham.  thread,  and  buttona 

C-i'iiars,  .stiff  or  soft  washable 

Tiffl.  silk  Windsor 

Hi-lts.  cheap  k-athor 

SShS::\l^nSej  .•  3H  y^  3C  inch  musiin; " 

Ni&tr0.omra"de),-3}:^-  yd.!  -aO  inch  outing- 
flannel,  thread,  and  buttoiis . 

Summer  underwear,  sets,  Balbnggan ...  ....  •  •  —  ■ 

Winter  underwear,  sets,  winter  weight  cotton,  fleece- 
lined .••  ■  • 

Stockings,  cotton  nbbed 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt    •••••■•,•, 

Shoe  repairs,  half-soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm •  ■  ■  • 

Gloves,  fleece-lined,  cotton  back  ••••••  .• ^ 

Garters  (homemade).  1  yd.  cotton  elastic  web 


PlllCE  PER 
ARTICLE 


Total  for  girl,  age  10. 


J      .75 

1.25 

5.00 

10.00 

8.75 
1.50 
1.00 

.85 
.25 
.30 
.50 
.10 

.90 

.90 
.90 

1.00 

.25 

4.. 50 

1.50 

1.00 

.75 

.10 


Annual 
qcantity 


}4 
Vi 

m 

1 

2 

5 
2 
2 

6 

1 

1 
3 

2 
18 
4 
4 
1 
1 
2 


Annual 

COST 


Hats,  tailored  straw 

Hats,  velveteen  or  corduroy.     ■  •  •■ 
Sweaters,  worsted  face,  cotton  back 


Coats,  cheviot,  50  per  cent  wool  ■  ,  -     ^  .     ,      .    ^ 
Wash  dresses  (homemade).  4 H  ycls.  3C  inch  ging- 
ham or  chambray.  thread  and  buttons .    ....... 

Petticoats  (homemade),  2  yds.  36  inch  muslin  and 
2'.;  yds.  lace  or  edging,  thread,  and  buttons 

Pettiroata  (homemade).  2  yds.  36  inch  outing 

flannel,  thread,  and  buttons 

Drawer  waists,  muslin    .  .  ••••••.••;••••,.■  '*uJJ^'a'  ' 

Drawers  (homemade).  2  yds.  36  inch  muslin,  thread, 
and  buttons • ■  •  ■  •  ■ 

Union  suits,  cotton,  fleece-lined.  ....  .  • •  •  •  •  •  • 

Night^owni  (homemade).  3  yds  36  inch  mushn  and 
1 1^  vds.  lace  or  edging,  thread  ..  .••■••;.•• 

Nightgowns  (homemade).  3  yds.  36  inch  outing 
flannel,  thread 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton    •••••■ 

Gloves,  fleece-lined,  cotton  back 

Stockings,  cotton  ribbed 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt    ■■■■■■■■, 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm , •  •  •  • / 

Garters  (homemade),  1  yd.  cotton  elastic  web 

Ribbons,  8  yds.  3  inch  silk  face 


$  1.00 
1.25 
2.00 
7.50 


.90 


Total  for  boy,  age  6 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixture,  30  per  cent  wool. 


.50 
.40 

.40 
1.25 

.75 

.75 
.05 
.75 
.30 
4.00 
.75 
.75 
.10 
.10 


Sweaters,  worsted  face,  cotton  back 

Overcoats,  overcoating  or  union  cheviot.  30  per  cent 


wool 


Wash  suits  (homemade).'  iz'^yds.  36  inch  percale 
or  gingham,  thread,  and  buttons 


$     .75 
2.00 


5.00 
.75 


H 


2H 

2 
3 

C 
2 


1 
6 
1 
12 
4 
2 
1 
2 


VA 
1 


S69.04 

$  1.13 

63 

2  50 
5.00 

13.13 


.50 
00 

4.25 
.50 
.60 
.25 
.60 

.90 

.90 
2.70 


2.00 

4. .50 

18.00 

6.00 

1.00 

.75 

.20 

$52.75 

$  1.00 

1.25 

2.00 

3.75 

10.00 

2.25 

1.00 
1.20 

2.40 
2.50 

.75 

.75 

.30 

.75 

3.60 

16.00 

1.50 

.75 

.20 

.80 

$34.18 

$  1.13 

2.00 

2.50 

4.50 


The  Standard  of  Living 


69 


CiiOTHiNO — Continiied 


Price  per 

ANmjAL 

ARTICLE 

QUANTITY 

.25 

1 

.05 

6 

.75 

1 

.75 

1 

.40 

3 

.40 

4 

1.25 

2 

.25 

18 

3.00 

3 

.75 

2 

.75 

1 

.75 

1 

.10 

2 

Annual 

COST 


Total  for  bay.  age  6  (continued) 

Tics,  silk  Windsor 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Nightgowns  (homemade),  3  yds.  36  inch  muslin, 

thread,  and  buttons 

Nightgowns  (homemade),  3  yds.  36  inch  outing 

flauDcl,  thread,  and  buttons , 

Drawer  waists,  musUn 

Drawers  (liomemade),  13^  yds.  36  inch  muslin, 

thread,  and  buttons 

Union  suits,  cotton,  fleece-lined 

Stockings,  cotton  ribbed 

Shoes,  satin  calf,  macliine  sewed,  or  nailed 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled 

Rubbers,  storm 

Gloves,  fleece-lined,  cotton  back 

Garters  (homemade),  1  yd.  cotton  elastic  web.. . 


.25 
.30 

.75 

.75 
1.20 

1.60 

2.50 

4.50 

9.00 

1.50 

.75 

.75 

.20 


Supporting  Data 

Basis  of  allowances.  The  clothing  allowances  in  the 
above  standard  are  based  mainly  upon  the  data  con- 
tained in  Tables  9,  10,  11,  12,  and  13  which  show  the 
average  and  the  most  frequently  reported  quantities 
of  clothing  articles  required  annually  by  the  families 
investigated. 

Neither  the  average  nor  the  frequency  figures  were 
followed  impUcitly,  but  were  used  always  as  a  guide 
in  devising  the  standard.  For  example,  Table  10  shows 
that  the  average  number  of  wash  dresses  needed  an- 
nually by  the  wife  is  2.54  and  the  most  frequently 
needed  number  is  two,  although  a  considerable  pro- 
portion of  the  wives  (45  out  of  the  187  reporting  quan- 
tities) have  reported  three  as  their  annual  requirement. 
It  seemed  reasonable,  therefore,  to  conclude  that  two 
and  one-half  wash  dresses  a  year,  that  is,  five  bought 
every  two  years,  would  be  a  fair  allowance,  and  hence 
they  were  included  in  the  standard.  The  same  table 
shows  that  only  77  wives  reported  the  use  of  sweaters. 
This  would  seem  to  indicate  that  a  sweater  is  not  a 
customary  part  of  the  wearing  apparel  of  working- 


70     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

men's  wives,  so  the  clothing  standard  of  the  wife  makes 
no  allowance  whatever  for  sweaters. 

The  designation  of  clothing  articles  in  the  standard 
differs,  in  some  instances,  from  that  in  the  supporting 
data.  For  example,  under  clothing  of  the  wife  our 
table  merely  gives  summer  underwear.  The  informa- 
tion under  this  heading  includes  all  the  underwear 
worn  by  the  wife,  and  the  quantities  appearing  in  the 
table  refer  to  sets,  consisting  generally  of  two  pieces, 
union  suit  and  corset  cover.  It  will  be  noted  that  the 
249  wives  reporting  quantities  appear  to  have  used  an 
average  of  3.51  sets,  which  represents  approximately 
seven  garments.  Two  sets  or  four  garments,  however, 
were  Used  by  the  largest  number  of  wives.  In  formu- 
lating our  standard  we  considered  it  better,  in  order 
to  make  our  specifications  clear,  to  treat  the  item 
corset  covers  separately  from  the  general  heading 
summer  underwear.  Two  corset  covers  and  three 
union  suits  are  therefore  allowed  in  our  standard.  It 
will  also  be  seen  by  comparing  Table  12  with  the  stand- 
ard that  woolen  dresses  have  been  entirely  omitted 
from  the  articles  allowed  ''girl  age  10",  although  they 
were  reported  as  used  by  29  families.  In  formulating 
our  standard  we  decided  that  as  woolen  dresses  were 
not  generally  worn,  no  allowance  would  be  made  for 
them.  In  order,  however,  that  the  dress  allowance  for 
the  little  girl  should  not  be  less  than  our  information 
shows  to  be  necessary,  eight  wash  dresses  were  allowed, 
although  only  six  were  used  by  the  largest  number  of 
famiUes  reporting  use.  This  number  should  ade- 
quately supply  the  child's  needs.  If  desired,  a  woolen 
dress  may  be  substituted  for  two  wash  dresses. 

The  specifications  for  the  various  articles  of  clothing 
were  decided  upon  after  consultation  with  clothing 


The  Standard  of  Living  71 

buyers  and  salesmen  in  a  number  of  Philadelphia's 
down-town  and  outlying  stores  where  workingmen  are 
accustomed  to  trade.  In  deciding  upon  these  specifi- 
cations, it  was  our  endeavor  to  conform  as  nearly  as 
possible  to  existing  standards  of  quality  in  working- 
men's  clothing. 

Basis  of  prices.  The  prices  given  in  the  clothing 
standard  are  based  upon  the  results  of  an  inquiry  made 
in  September,  1918,  into  the  retail  prices  obtaining  in 
five  different  stores  of  popular  custom  in  Philadelphia. 
In  practically  all  cases  where  the  quotations  did  not 
agree,  the  lowest  price  quoted  was  selected. 

Comparison  of  clothing  costs.  In  Table  3  it  is  shown 
that  the  average  clothing  expenditures  per  family  of 
all  the  famihes  reporting  is  $175.64.  The  total  cost 
of  the  clothing  standard  outhned  above  is  $299.43, 
which  is  about  70  per  cent  higher  than  the  previous 
figure.  This  difference  is  accounted  for  very  largely, 
but  not  wholly,  by  the  rise  in  clothing  prices  since  the 
period  covered  by  the  investigation.  Two  other  causes 
help  to  explain  the  difference.  One  is  that  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  clothing  reported  by  famihes  was 
received  as  gifts  and  no  cost  was  given.  The  other  is 
that  the  famihes  of  lower  income  very  often  did  not 
report  the  use  of  different  articles  of  clothing  which 
could  hardly  be  omitted  from  a  standard  that  purports 
to  be  fair.  Nightshirts,  for  example,  are  absent  from 
many  clothing  schedules,  but,  of  course,  were  in- 
cluded in  the  standard,  the  allowance  being  based 
upon  the  reports  of  the  famihes  using  nightshirts. 


E 

o 

5 

z 

p 

a 

<y 

K 

•J 

a 

u 

< 
n 

ft. 

o 

05 
P 

OD 

K 

d 

a 

p 

e 

s 

p^ 

o 

t« 

« 

2e 


Id  &> 


Cc 


v~.^SM(MMM«^C<5C0'«»<V'MVJ'^V'«O«Mej<N«   2'<«'e<9      9 


(S  >' 

H  U 

B  Z 

O  W 

a  Of 


O" 


00  M -S"  I^  •«»<  CO  CO  ■»«"  M    •*    »  >0  .^  O  <0  CO  ■»<  t-- CO  M  i-l  «0 


^ ,^ s-\f<e^  11  ^ M e*  •-<  cicD'-icoc^'»"-Hejv5«v»c»  •-•  n<-<^S 


':sj:^' 


ev«         i-N-^v 


S  S  2  6.  a 

O  g  P  O   J 

.  ri  0!  „  o 

o  5  o  S  B 

"^  <!  S  O  * 


r~  c>i -- to  «D  >o  M -^  •<i«  oo  in  t-- »-i  00  lO  OS  CO  CO  00  eo  00  co  <-i 
bi>nt~a>''icotoiot^  "5  aitou3ocotDOoooto-H        oo 


5^  sc«_~^^  i-l(NMM!0    M    tHNO)e^i-lNNi-l^.-itO    C^    ^    VJ 


toco^eoNOOOicoN 

Tl<iOCOOOMOSOS'«»"'' 

,H  •-H-HNCOh»    d    .-I  OS  ■-I  N  1-1  00  P»  •-<  "-I  N  >0    M    i-l 


M^r^O»^iM-HOOOS    p    «3C50N®CJ-^z!'^"t'2    *    S^ 

u^  — , CO Tf I- oi to o o  to  oS'-no-*m>ooioioco         in 

MrHCSC^Ii-c       f-cC^C^    <-l    N  ri -^  M  N  N  CI  >-«■-<  ■-I  1-1 


to^oo»>-''^-^oo  CO  comc^mooomtooooo  t~»  eo 
u^^^^^<jj5D'-M  00   i-H  00 -H  in  •<)<  in  in -H  to  lo  t^         m 

C^^WM^       i-C^fl    ^    (N --1  i-"(N  (N  (N  M  W -H  rt  1-1 


5^ 


KcQ 


72 


CCS 


E 

V 


1^ 


< 


o 

O 


§ 
^ 


3 

o 
ij 
O 

o 

XJl 

o 

< 

PQ 


w  o 


':s? 


•  N       IN  M  CO  es  IM  ■<»>  1-c 


■  ■>!<  C^  \*(N  1-1  iH  v?)'^  CO 


■  OW505C00000W 


•  ■*  C^  SP>'<1<  •*  CO  CO  ^ 


00i-c>?5       Tit  r-1  CO  IN  ■*  "3  lO  t^  O 


'^:s<=^^>:s 


C0»-INCOi-l 


to    WCOCli-H  Wvf» 


di-HMNfJ 


T|(    t>.OiOOOOO 


.-Hi-l   "   '"iNrHSPl.-llNINi-llNINlNINCl    W    i-H  (N  O  IN --i  "-i '-"-' 


6  a 


2  li,  a 


(N«DOC0'*'r0'fC0r^«0i-0.-lC0C0OO    O    O'-<M00;*iraO;3| 
C^iO-^i-^SoO^COOOJINiOtOC^OOO    «o    O-4<-*<»C000OC0 

,^     "     "     'in     '     '  ■-<  IN  .-i  T-i  CO  •-<  CO --I  IN    O    tHCOOS'-itH       i-i^ 


t^-<j<e^(Ni^cooco>ooi)<cnt^co«>.-i  o  2g«go2;3;e^J2 

S        C^        >-l        rt  r-l  IN  ■-<  C^  IN  r-l        fH  .-I     rtlNC^INrtr^ 


r^i^co-«j<ocoo>nt^a>Tt<^cocorHio  t-h  tgioiocojH^ror-. 
■t'l^COO^COiO'OINOOC^'OQO^OO  »o  "^r^SS^SSS  " 
S       C^       "H       rH  rt  (N  ^  IN  C<1  rH       rt  i-H    .-1  IN  04  IN  .-H  11 


x)  a 


OS   M 

CO  m 
3  fl  M 


I  moQ 


i  E  1°.2.^- 


.^1   , 

S'o2S^'Hm?q  ^ 


all^m^llllls  I  IllllilS 

73 


-a 
a 

e3 


O     ";:* 


«      f 


o 

J2 


a 
3 


2    ^ 


Q 


«   Ul 

u  ^ 


^lOor^-H 


—  »^oo«lOc<5^5WM^»»^<®OlOC>e»5^^ 


•  re  (N  fO  O  —  ?5  -r  ?•!  -"  «  ^O  O  cj  «  sp  ~riM 


if;i^j2 


N^^'HWrt    «0    tOMIN^    <0    i-iMM    <N    ■*C^ -H^o-H  W -^-^ 


-H         -HMrt   -^  m re rj -H   CO  i-H r) -H   o  ■>!•  •<>< ~ ^ o « i-i     -h 


t~ioot»o  t^  n  n  It  n  •«  t^  [>•  t^  do  ^  ^c  f  e^     to 


b,  u  i:  b  n 

oagoo 

Z  J   M  -J   < 


S  1^  o 

2  03  u 


2^ 
wqqOoqMO 


a3 


^.1 


03   CQ 

74 


3^  as  a 

2 -0.^3 


a  ^    «  Ji  55  -9 

M  C.9 


Oi  90 

4>  r 


3 


iC  W  r^    O    !M  ei  '-1 1-1  r}. 


•  ■— 0;i01"tMf)Tj<{v;,-icO'«<NM 


X  z 


W    sn^-<Wt*< 


■pj  McooceoO'C  v>-i  f  n  'J' ro  ^j< 


a  w 
fco 


t  Q 


X  a 

si 


Nsfi-HL':-!"   c^      -f   n 


'^s: 


■«J"-^  —  C-JM    (N     (NMOCOP)     IN 


MiNfO    M       i-H 


.-ixjj    5D       — I       e^    OJINWIMIN    Tjl       O    i- O  W  t)<  «    .-i 


^^xj. 


o 

H 

fl 

O 

O 

<i 

m 

a 

H  1 


2  § 


^§-^ 


<N  --C  .O    t>. 


6,  u  ?:  a.  J 

o  J  H  ■^  o 

c  a  o  S  £ 

>  <:  a<  D  5 


O    MOl^-t-H    —I       O    OCCCOOOO    fO 


in       -H       e^COlNCO'-i>-<r*i       00>-HC^J'^Mi?OrH 


05IOG0  o»     c^  r-     oiOi'O  N     po  h--i-i0505;o  r» 


to   .1 00 tc u! <N    00   Nr~r~-. 
lo  t^.-i»a)oo  t^       00 


s 
s 

a}         OP 
to        it 

Of      -n 


.  CO 


^  .i  «  ;;£;- 
3    r  t  E.C  M 


ea   ^  0.P 


St 


aS 


»OkK 


^ 

V, 

u 

o 

C7  O 

-o 

S'^ 

^ 

oc 

6S 

£§ 

lO 

SB 

as  A 

p 

■^ 

< 

I 

tH 

a^ 

A  as 

n 

. 

>i. 

>' 

^ 

$ 

c 

0 

o 

u 

o 

c 

H 

o 

O 
< 

^ 

o 

tx 

a. 

o 

S 

(3 

(c 

O 

O 

a 

o 

3 

2: 

Hi 

n 

-Q 

J 

u 

a 

eo 

Q 

2u 

B  7 


0''5  0l»®C<'"V-Hi-i-<i-i 


«^  "« 'f  W  <*"  O  N  C5  00  « 


)  •«»<  O  O -<  N -H  00 -H    ^    f-l 


N \f»-H oM'^niN'H  •-<  1-1 


vNMooia  r»  w-HN 


■*'»'« -J  CO    'f    ^^® 


co-<o>c>»«oiNMint-<co 


'HfO  —  tONNWNNrH 


,H,-iSC«.-4W(NINO^  M    WOMC^MIN' 


C'S  CO  h"  C*3  0> 
UiOOOlMIN 


8SS 


-<  US«NWO-<    d    Nfflt-lWMOCO    M    .-. -H  CO  ^  ,-1  ,-1 


CO 00 o 35 00 1^ CO 52 CO  to  r» o CO « CO t^ a>  uj  00'^c>»-"O-h 


00  ■*  00  «-  CO 


i->  CS  00  00  OC  00 


fc  U  Z  fc  u 

^  <  i»  u  OS 


o  — I  c«  OS  92 1^  CO -f  CO  •^»< 


OOiOOOt^cO 


f-l  i-l  to  00  00  00  00 


I  Km 


2||   . 

76 


The  Standard  of  Living  77 

CARFARE 
Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 

Total $35.40 

Carfare  of  husband  to  and  from  work,  604  ridea  @  $.05 $30.20 

Carfare  of  family  for  all  other  purposes,  104  rides  @  $  .05. . . .         5 .  20 

Supporting  Data 

It  is  assumed  in  the  above  standard  that  the  bread- 
winner of  the  family  is  obhged  to  ride  to  and  from  his 
place  of  work.  Doubtless  a  small  proportion  of  the 
laborers  employed  by  the  city  government  live  within 
walking  distance  of  their  work  and  thus  avoid  the 
expense  of  carfare,  but  since  municipal  activities  are 
not  concentrated  in  the  industrial  sections  of  the  city 
where  most  workingmen  have  their  homes,  this  pro- 
portion is  probably  much  smaller  than  it  is  in  case  of 
workers  in  private  establishments.  It  should  be  re- 
membered, too,  that  the  allowance  of  five  cents  for  a 
ride  is  insufficient  in  those  cases  where  exchange 
tickets  are  required.  If  this  cost  could  be  accurately 
ascertained  and  the  amount  saved  by  walking  to  and 
from  work  also  could  be  ascertained,  we  might  find 
that  the  one  very  nearly  ofifsets  the  other.  The  hus- 
band's annual  allowance  of  604  rides  at  five  cents  a 
ride,  therefore,  seems  only  fair. 

For  all  purposes  other  than  taking  the  husband  to 
and  from  work,  the  standard  provides  104  rides.  This 
will  enable  the  wife  and  other  members  of  the  family 
to  take  occasional  shopping  and  amusement  trips, 
but  the  occasions  cannot  come  very  frequently.  Even 
if  the  wife  were  to  avail  herself  of  all  the  rides,  she 
would  still  be  limited  to  two  rides  a  week.  It  is  ob\'ious 
that  any  excess  in  the  allowance  for  the  husband's 


78     Workingmen's  Sia?idard  of  Linng  in  Philadelphia 

carfare  to  and  from  work  could  readily  be  used  by  the 
family  for  other  purposes. 

Table  14  shows  the  actual  expenditures  of  our  fami- 
lies for  carfare.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however, 
that  these  are  the  expenditures  of  famihes  whose 
principal  breadwinners  for  the  most  part  were  engaged 
in  industrial  pursuits  and  thus  were  more  hkely  to 
live  within  walking  distance  of  their  work  than  are 
city  employes. 


Table  14. 


Carfare.    Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Various 
Objects 


Repgrtinq 

expenditure.s 

All 

families 

(260) 

expenditure 

Number  of 
families 

Average  ex- 
penditures 
per  family 

Average  ex- 
penditures 
per  family 

All  objects 

254 

165 

32 

3 
148 

76 
12 

$32.01 

$34.04 

37.70 

26.17 
4.66 

5.72 

8.75 

$31.27 

Carfare  of  husband 

Carfare    of    children    to 

and  from  work 

Carfare    of    children    to 

and  from  school 

Carfare  of  wife. .  . 

$21.60 

4.64 

.30 
2.65 

Carfare  for  visiting  and 

recreation 

Unspecified 

1.67 
.41 

The  Standard  of  Living 


CLEANING  SUPPLIES  AND  SERVICES 
Requirements  of  a  Fair  Standard 


Total. 


Specified  requirements . 
Personal 


Toilet  soap,  small  bars 

Tooth  brushes 

Tooth  paste  or  powder,  tubes  or  boxes 

Combs,  plain  hard  rubber 

Hair  brushes,  wooden  back 

Shoe  polish,  boxes 

Barber's  services: 

Husband,  shaves  and  haircuts .  .  . 

Children,  haircuts 


Household . 


Laundry  soap,  J^  lb.  bars 

Starch,  pounds 

Bluing,  pint  bottles 

Clotheshne,  yards 

Clothespins,  dozens 

Stove  polish,  boxes 

Furniture  polish,  pint  bottles 

Cleanser,  boxes 

Collars  sent  to  laundry 

Unspecified  requirements,  26  per  cent 
cost  of  specified  requirements 


Price 


.07 
.25 
.10 
.35 
.50 
.10 

.40 
.25 


.08 

.08 

.10 

.021/ 

.03 

.00 

.25 

.05 

.04 


Annual 
Quan- 
tity 


70 
5 

12 
1 

12' 

10 


'A 


120 

24 

12 

5 

1 

26 

2 

36 

52 


of 


Annual 
Cost 

$42.80 

$33.97 

$15.15 

$  4.90 

1.25 

1.20 

.35 

.25 

1.20 

4.00 
2.00 

$18.82 

$  9  60 

1.92 

1.20 

.13 

.03 

1.56 

.50 

1.80 

2.08 

$  8.83 


Supporting  Data 

Basis  of  allowances.  The  data  in  Table  15  have  been 
used  as  a  general  guide  in  determining  the  standard 
outlined  above.  In  the  collection  of  these  data,  it  did 
not  prove  possible  in  all  cases  to  ascertain  the  actual 
quantities  purchased  throughout  the  year,  but  it  was 
possible  nevertheless  in  case  of  a  number  of  items  to 


80     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

estimate  the  annual  quantities  from  the  annual  cost, 
and  thus  secure  a  fair  basis  for  fixing  the  standard 
allowances.  This  was  true  of  combs  and  hair  brushes 
and  also  of  clotheslines  and  clothespins. 

About  20.6  per  cent  of  the  expenditures,  however, 
were  for  miscellaneous  items  that  could  not  be  readily 
specified  in  actual  quantities.  In  order  to  provide  for 
these  items  in  the  standard  an  allowance  has  been 
made  for  "unspecified  requirements"  equal  to  26  per 
cent  of  the  cost  of  the  specified  requirements,  which 
is  equivalent  to  20.6  per  cent  of  the  total  cost  of  the 
standard.  Thus  the  same  relationship  is  maintained 
between  the  two  parts  of  the  standard  that  we  found 
existing  between  the  corresponding  two  parts  of  the 
reported  expenditures  for  cleaning  suppHes  and  serv- 
ices. 

Basis  of  prices.  The  prices  used  in  this  standard 
are  those  current  in  Philadelphia  during  November, 
1918. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


81 


Table  15.    Cleaning  Supplies  and  Services.    Average  Anntjal 

Quantities  used  and  Average  Annual  Expenditures.    Bt 

Objects  of  Expenditure  ' 


Objects  or 

EXPENDITURE 

Reportinq  nsB  of  articles  listed 

Famiues 
reporting 
expendi- 
tures IN 

DETAIL  (248) 

All 

families 

(260) 

Number 

of 
families 

Quantity 

used 
per  family 

A  verage 

expenditures 

per  family 

Average 
expenditures 
per  family 

Aterage 
expenditures 
per  family 

248 
247 

246 
3 

67 
69 

64 
205 
235 

33 
9 

247 

246 
232 
222 

66 

128 

211 

34 

186 
51 

$31.72 
$11.34 

$  3.70 

1.05 

1.75 

.48 

.39 
1.21 
5.21 

4.12 
11.67 

$20.50 

$  7.44 
1.28 

.87 

.38 

1.11 

1.80 
29.94 

5.72 
2.29 

$31.72 
$11.30 

$  3.67 
.01 
.48 
.13 

.10 
1.00 
4.94 

.55 
.42 

$20.42 

$  7.38 
1.20 

.77 

.10 

.57 
1.53 
4.11 

4.29 
.47 

$33  15 

Personal 

$11  24 

Toilet  soap,  small 

66.47 

$  3  61 

01 

Tooth  paste,  tubes . 

Toothbrushes 

Combs  and  hair- 

12.96 

4.08 

*  'l2!48"  ' 

.50 
.13 

10 

Shoe  polish,  boxes  . 

1.00 
4.88 

Other  personal 

53 

48 

Household 

$21  91 

Laundry  soap,  bars. 

Starch,  pounds 

Bluing,  bottles 

Clothesline  and 
clothespins 

121.91 
22.92 
15.83 

$  7.26 

1.16 

.75 

.10 

Furniture  and  floor 
polish 

59 

Cleanser,  boxes.  .  .  . 
Labor  for  washing. . 

34.85 

1.49 
5.18 

Work  sent  to 

4.72 

Miscellaneous 

.66 

1  At  the  outset  of  our  field  investigation,  the  expenditures  for  cleaning  supplies  and 
services  were  not  obtained  with  the  same  attention  to  detail  that  was  adopted  lat^-r. 
As  a  result  it  was  necessary  to  exclude  the  first  twelve  schedules  from  that  portion  of 
the  table  which  contains  quantity  data  and  to  base  quantity  averages  on  the  reports 
of  the  remaining  248  families.  In  the  last  column  of  this  table,  however,  are  shown 
cost  averages  for  all  of  the  260  families. 


The  Unspecified  Standard 

As  explained  in  the  opening  of  this  chapter,  the  cost 
of  the  unspecified  standard  is  ascertained  by  comput- 
ing 21  per  cent  of  the  cost  of  the  specified  standard. 
Since  the  cost  of  the  specified  standard  at  autunin 


82     Workingmms  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

1918  prices  was  SI, 352.72,  the  cost  of  the  unspecified 
standard  for  the  same  period  equals  .?284.07. 

In  the  following  pages  are  given  tables  showing  the 
distribution  of  the  unspecified  expenditures  as  they 
appeared  in  the  reports  of  our  2G0  faiuiUes. 


Table  16.    Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Classes  in  the 

Unspecified  Standard 


All   families 
(260) 

Average  expend- 
itures per  family 


Classes  of  expenditure 


All  unspecified  classes 

Health 

Furniture  and  furnishings. .  .  . 
Taxes,  dues  and  contributions 
Recreation  and  amusements. . 

Education  and  reading 

Insurance 

Mi.scpllaneous  expendituras .  . 


Reporting 

expenditures 

If 
1-^ 

H  2  »> 

Average 
penditu 
per  Jam 

260 

$222.64 

258 

$  32.55 

256 

35.82 

252 

25.46 

222 

18.61 

257 

12.96 

245 

43.01 

260 

01.16 

$222.64 

$  32.30 
35.27 
24.68 
15.89 
12.81 
40.53 
61.16 


17.7 

2.6 
2.8 
2.0 
1.3 
1.0 
3.2 
4.8 


The  l:iianaara  of  Living 


83 


Table  17.    Health. 


Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Various 
Objects 


Objects  op  expenditure 


All  objects 

Physician 

Dentist 

Oculist 

Nurse 

Surgical  appliances 

Medicine  prescribed  by  physician 

Other  medicine 

Hospital  charges 

Dispensary  charges 

Spectacles  and  eyeglasses 

Unspecified 


Reporting 

expenditures 

Num- 

Average 

ber  of 

expend- 

fam- 

itures per 

ilies 

family 

258 

$  32.55 

217 

$  20.53 

97 

13.02 

20 

9.36 

22 

17.73 

6 

9.83 

79 

5.11 

184 

5.05 

20 

12.54 

10 

5.68 

52 

5.83 

1 

100.00 

All  families 
(260) 

Average  expend- 
itures per  family 


Amount 


$  32.30 

$  17.14 
4.86 

.72 
1.50 

.23 
1.55 
3.57 

.96 

.22 
1.17 

.38 


Per 

cent 


100.0 

53.1 
15.0 
2.2 
4.6 
0.7 
4.8 
11.1 
3.0 
0.7 
3.6 
1.2 


64     Workingmens  Standard  oj  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  18.     Furniture  and  FuRNiaeiNas.     Average  Annttal  Ex- 
penditures FOR  Various  Objects 


Objects  op  expenditure 


All  objects 

Floor  coverings 

Chairs,  tables 

Pianos,  other  musical  instruments. 

Other  wooden  furniture 

Pictures,    curtains,    mirrors,    orna- 
ments   

Lamps,  lamp-shades 

Shades,  screens,  netting 

Beds,  bedding,  bed-Unen 

Table-linen,  towels 

Dishes,  tableware 

Kitchen  utensils 

Stoves,  refrigerators 

Equipment  for  cleaning 

Trunks,  suitcases 

Other  items 


Repgrtinq 

All  families 

expenditures 

(260) 

Num- 

Average 

Average  expend- 

ber of 
fam- 

expend- 
itures per 

itures  per  family 

Per 

ilies 

family 

Amount 

cent 

256 

$  35.82 

%  35.27 

100.0 

76 

$  17.94 

$    5.24 

14.9 

38 

24.83 

3.63 

10.3 

27 

82.36 

8.55 

24.2 

28 

34.35 

3.70 

10.5 

34 

5.27 

.69 

1.9 

31 

4.49 

.54 

1.5 

77 

3  16 

.94 

2.7 

102 

12.19 

4.78 

13.6 

83 

1.98 

.63 

1.8 

72 

2.92 

.81 

2.3 

81 

2.49 

.78 

2.2 

35 

13.29 

1.79 

5.1 

245 

1.91 

1.80 

5.1 

4 

3.55 

.05 

0.1 

22 

15.81 

1.34 

3.8 

The  Standard  of  Living 


85 


Table  19.     Taxes,  Dues  and  Contributions.     Average  AnntjaIj 
Expenditures  for  Various  Objects 


Objects  op  expenditure 


All  objects 

Taxes 

Labor  union  dues 

Gifts  of  friendship 

Gifts  of  charity 

Church  and  other  rehgious  organi 

zations 

Lodges  and  societies 

Other  contributions  (election  fund). 


Reporting 
expenditures 


Num- 
ber of 
fam- 
ilies 


252 

163 

57 

62 

3 

182 

159 

1 


A verage 
expend- 
itures per 
family 


$  25.46 

$  1.37 
14.87 
11.06 
10.42 

11.51 

15.84 
15.00 


All  families 
(260) 


Average  expend- 
itures })er  family 


Amount 


I  24.68 

S       .86 

3.26 

2.64 

.12 

8.06 

9.68 

.06 


Per 

cent 


100.0 

3.5 
13.2 
10.7 

0.5 

32.7 

39.2 

0.2 


Table  20. 


Recreation  and  Amusements.    Average  Annual  Ex- 
penditures FOR  Various  Objects 


Objects  of  expenditure 


All  objects 

Regular  theater 

Movies 

Dances 

Excursions 

Toys  and  playthings 

Hunting  trips 

Other  forms  of  amusement 


Reporting 

All  families 

expenditures 

(260) 

Num- 

Average 

Average  expend- 

ber of 
fam- 

expend- 
itures per 

itures  per  family 

Per 

ilies 

family 

Amount 

cent 

222 

$  18.61 

$  15.89 

100.0 

24 

$  14.57 

$     1.35 

8.5 

175 

8.07 

5.44 

34.2 

6 

4.46 

.10 

0.6 

98 

15.96 

6.01 

37.8 

127 

4.88 

2.38 

15.0 

2 

1.50 

.01 

0.1 

10 

15.46 

.60 

3.8 

86     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Table  21.     Education  avd  Readino.     Average  Annual  Expend- 
iTUKEs  Fou  Various  Objects 


Objects  op  expenditure 


All  objects . 


School  expenses 

Newspapers  and  periodicals . 

Books 

Postage  and  stationery 

Music  lessons 


Reporting 
expenditures 


Num- 
ber of 
fam- 
ilies 


257 

177 
237 

12 
147 

12 


A  verage 

experui- 

itures  per 

family 


%  12.96 

3.35 
8.51 
8.32 
1.95 
27.93 


All  families 
(260) 


A  verage  expend- 
itures per  family 


Amount 


%  12.81 

$     2.28 

7.76 

.38 

1.10 

1.29 


Per 

cent 


100.0 

17.8 

60.6 

2.9 

8.6 

10.1 


Table  22.     Insurance.     Average  Annual  Expenditures  for  Va- 
rious Kinds  of  Insurance 


Reporting 
expenditures 

All  families 
(260) 

Kinds  of  insurance 

Num- 
ber of 
fam- 
ilies 

Average 
expend- 
itures per 
family 

Average  expend- 
itures per  family 

Amount 

Per 
cent 

All  kinds 

245 

243 

187 

189 

206 

28 

24 

40 

39 
1 

8 

$  43.01 

«  43.00 

$  18.92 

9.78 

16.56 

19.54 

46.02 

$     1.89 

S     1.90 
1.67 

$     1.66 

%  40.53 

%  40.19 

1  13.61 

7.11 

13.12 

2.10 

4.25 

$       .29 

$       .28 
.01 

$       .05 

100.0 

Life  insurance 

99.2 

Husband 

33.6 

Wife      

17.5 

Children 

32.4 

Relatives  or  others 

5.2 

Unspecified 

10.5 

Furniture  insurance 

0.7 

Against  fire 

0.7 

Against  theft 

(') 

Insurance  of  house 

0.1 

(')  Less  than  one-half  of  1  per  cent. 


The  Standard  of  Living 


87 


Table    23. 


Miscellaneous    ExpE^^)ITURE^.      Average 
Expenditures  for  Various  Objects 


Annual 


Objects  op  expenditure 


All  objects 

Funeral  expenses 

Legal  expenses 

Expenses  of  moving 

Interest  on  debts 

Telephone 

Liquor  away  from  home 

Tobacco 

Ice  cream 

Candy  and  soda  water 

Spending-money,  husband 

Spending-money,  wife 

Spending-money,  children  at  work .  . 
Spending-money,  children  at  school . 

Tools 

Photos  and  kodak  views 

Plants  and  flowers 

Pins 

Incidentals 


Reporting 

All  families 

expenditures 

(260) 

Num- 

Average 

Average  expend- 

ber of 

expend- 
ilures  per 

itures  per  family 

fam- 

Per 

ilies 

family 
$61.16 

Amount 

cent 

260 

$  61.16 

100.0 

16 

$110.79 

$     6.82 

11.2 

3 

33.33 

.38 

0.6 

45 

7.68 

1.33 

2.2 

4 

12.58 

.19 

0.3 

62 

6.70 

1.60 

2.6 

10 

42.26 

1.63 

2.7 

176 

12.15 

8.23 

13.5 

164 

6.00 

3.78 

6.2 

118 

6.06 

2.75 

4.5 

81 

80.75 

25.16 

41.1 

4 

50.75 

.78 

1.3 

25 

46.15 

4.43 

7.2 

34 

12.77 

1.67 

2.7 

34 

2.59 

.34 

0.5 

34 

2.61 

.34 

0.5 

58 

1.64 

.36 

0.6 

109 

.40 

.17 

0.3 

31 

10,04 

1.20 

2.0 

APPENDIX  I 
THE  SCHEDULE 

As  we  stated  in  Chapter  II  the  schedule  used  in  this 
investigation  was  patterned  upon  the  Chapin  model 
with  some  modifications.  After  our  schedule  was 
printed  and  had  been  used  several  times  we  found 
that  a  number  of  minor  changes  would  add  greatly  to 
the  ease  of  gathering  accurate  information.  For 
instance  we  found  one  line  for  ''Other  fresh  vegetables" 
to  be  entirely  inadequate,  so  we  adopted  the  method 
of  itemizing  the  several  vegetables  used  most  fre- 
quently. Other  changes  of  hke  nature  were  made. 
Some  questions  which  seemed  to  be  of  doubtful  value 
were  omitted.  Such  a  question  as  ''What  garments 
are  re-made  and  mended"  seemed  useless  for  our 
purpose.  In  printing  the  schedule  we  have,  therefore, 
decided  that  it  would  be  more  helpful  to  anyone  de- 
siring to  make  use  of  our  experience  to  have  it  printed 
with  the  corrections  which  were  made  after  it  had 
been  used  rather  than  to  show  it  in  its  first  form.  The 
modifications  were  in  no  case  fundamental  and  when 
once  decided  upon  were  adopted  as  a  regular  form 
of  procedure. 


90     Working-men's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


FAMILY  REPORT  ON  COST  OP  LIVING 

BY  THE 

Bureau  op  Municipal  Research  of  Philadelphia 


Checked Corrected . 

Disposition Entered .  . 


Residence  of  family,   No Street 

Reported  by of 

(orgaaization) 

Data  gathered  between 

and 

IleUability  of  estimates 

Was  account-book  left? 

Account  keeping  to  begin Completed 


Description  op  Family 

1 .  Birthplace  of  father Of  his  parents 

2.  Birthplace  of  mother Of  her  parents 

3.  If  foreign-born,  years  spent  in  U.  S.  by  father By  mother. 

4.  Composition,  occupation,  and  earnings  of  the  family 


Age 

Sex 

Occupation 

Hours 
employed 
per  week 

Days  regularly 
employed 
per  year 

Days  lost 
this  year 

Earninqs 

Members 

WeeUy 
average 

Actual 

annual 

total 

Father 

s 

%..  .    . 

Ist  child 

2d  child 

3d  child 

4th  child 

5th  child 

Total  annual  income  from  wages . 


Appendix  I 
5.  Income  from  other  sources 


91 


Age 

Sex 

Number  of 
weeks 

Amount  Paid 

Others  Living  with  Family 

Weekly 

AnmiaUy 

Lodgers 

$   

$ 

Relatives   (specify  rekition- 
shio) 

Non-relatives 

Boarders 

Relatives    (specify   relation- 
shin)  

Non-relatives 

Table  boarders 

Relatives   (specify  relation- 
shio) 

Non-relatives 

Total  paid  aimually  by  others  living  with  family . 


6.  Summary  of  annual  income 

Income  from  wages  for  year  (brought  forward) $ . 

Income  from  others  living  with  family,  for  year  (brought 

forward) $ . 

Income  from  miscellaneous  other  sources,  for  year  (specify 

sources) $ . 


Total  annual  income  from  all  sources . 


7.  Physical  condition.    (Characterize  father,  mother,  and  children  with 
reference  to  physical  traits;  note  any  inherited  defects.) 

Father 

Mother 

Children 


8.  Mental  condition  and  capacity.  (Characterize  father,  mother,  and 
children  with  reference  to  mental  and  moral  traits;  note  any  inherited 
defects  or  marked  abihty.) 

Father 

Mother 

Children 


92     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 
9.  Habits  of  father,  so  far  as  ascertainable 


10.  Is  mother  a  good  manager? Does  she  keep  things  clean?. 

In  order? 


11.  In  case  of  retrenchment,  what  expenditures  are  curtailed  or  elim- 
inated?   


12.  What  articles,  if  any,  are  bought  on  the  installment  plan? . 

13.  General  remarks  about  family 


Housing 

14.  Type  of  house  (underline).  Tenement-house,  rooming-house,  two- 
family  house,  one-family  house.  Front,  rear,  row,  semi-detached, 
detached. 

15.  Number  of  stories 

16.  Is  dwelling  rented? Owned? 

17.  If  rented,  monthly  rent  paid Annual 

18.  (a)  If  owned,  estimated  value 

(b)  Monthly  rent  of  like  houses  nearby Annual 

(c)  Is  it  mortgaged? For  how  much? 

(d)  Monthly  interest  paid Annual 

(e)  Is  mortgage  held  by  Building  and  Loan?. . .  .For  how  much?. . 

(f)  Monthly  payments Annual 

(g)  Amount  paid  on  repairs  and  improvements  this  year 

(h)  Annual  water  rent 

(i)  Taxes  on  dwelling 

19.  If  rented,  does  rent  include  water? Light? 

Janitor  service? Heat? 

20.  Is  it  a  corner  building? 

21.  On  which  floor  does  family  Uve? 

22.  Size  of  yard 

(measured)  (estimated) 

23.  How  is  yard  used? 

24.  Number  of  rooms,  exclusive  of  bath-room  and  laundry 

25.  Is  there  a  bath-room? 


Appendix  I 


93 


26.  (a)  Is  there  a  water-closet?. .  .  .  Number  of  families  using  same 

(b)  Location  of  water-closet  (underline).    House,  apartment,  hall, 
yard. 

(c)  Is  there  a  privy? Number  of  families  using  same 

27.  Are  there  stationary  washtubs? 

28.  Where  is  water  supply  located? 

29.  Number  of  taps  per  family 

30.  How  many  store  closets? 

31.  How  is  dwelling  heated? 

32.  Where  is  coal  stored? 

33.  Is  there  a  basement? Is  it  dry? 


34.     Designation  of 
Rooms 

Size  in  Feet 

Number  of 
outside  windows 

Width 

Length 

Height 

35.  Are  rooms  used  for  other  than  dwelHng  purposes? .  .  . 
If  so,  for  what  purposes? 

36.  How  long  has  family  been  in  present  dwelhng? 

37.  Has  rent  been  increased  wthin  two  years? 

If  so,  when? How  much  increase? . 

38.  What  reason  given  for  increase  of  rent? 


Fuel  and  Light 

39.  What  fuel,  if  any,  is  gathered  free  of  cost? 

40.  Is  gas  used  for  cooking? 

41.  Is  gas  used  for  lighting? Number  of  burners 

How  many  usually  burned  all  evening? 

42.  Is  slot  meter  used? 

43.  Is  electricity  used  for  Ughting? Number  of  globes . 

How  many  usually  burned  all  evening? 


94     WorkingmerCs  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


44.        Articles 


Coal 

Wood.  .  . 
Candles.  . 
Kerosene . 
Matches. 
Gas 


Period  of  Quantity 
time 


Price 


Annual 


Quantity 


Amount 
paid 


Remarks 


Electricity . 


Total  annual  expenditure  for  fuel  and  light . 


Food 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

$    .  . 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

45.  Bread  and  cereals 
Barley 

$ 

Bread 

Buns  and  rolls . 

Cakes,  misc. .  . 

Cereals,  ready- 
cooked 

Cereals,   un- 
cooked   

Cornmeal 

Cornstarch.  .  . 

Crackers 

Flour,  wheat. . 

Macaroni 

Pies 

Rice 

Tapioca 

Appendix  I 
Foot) — Continued 


95 


96     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Food — Continued 


Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

47.  Meat  substitutes 

$ 

$ 

Buttermilk 

Eirirs 

Milk,    con- 

Milk,    evap- 

oratpH 

Milk   fresh 

Nuts 

Peanut  butter 

Peas  dried 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

48.  Shortening 

Butter 

% 

$ 

Lard 

Oleomargarine 
Olive  oil 

Appendix  I 


97 


Food — Continued 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

49.  Vegetables,  fresh 
Asparagus. . . . 

$ 

$ 

Beans,  lima.  . . 

Beans,  string. . 

Beets 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Celery 

Com 

Cucumbers.  . . 

£e(rplant 

Lettuce 

.  .  . 

Onions 

Peas 

Potatoes,  Irish 

Potatoes,  sweet 

Spinach 

Tomatoes 

Turnips 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

50.  Vegetables, canned 
Beans,  baked .  . 

$ 

$ 

Beans,  string.  . 

Corn 

Peas 

Tomatoes 

98     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 
Food — Continued 


Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

51.  Fruits,  fresh 

Apples 

1 

t 

Bananas 

Berries 

Grapes.    .      .  . 

Lemons 

Muskmelons.  . 

Oranges 

Peaches 

Pears 

Watermelons. . 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles   . 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

52.  Fruits,  canned 

Peaches 

% 

% 

Pears 

Pineapple .... 

Appendix  I 


99 


Pood—  Continued 

Period  of 

time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

53.  Fruits,  dried 

Apples 

% 

$ 

Apricots 

Currants 

Prunes 

Raisins 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

54.  Sugars 

Candy 

% 

$ 

Molasses 

Sugar,  brown. 

Sugar,   gran- 
ulated  

100     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 
Food — Continued 


Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

$ 

Annual 

Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

55.  Beverages 

Cocoa   

$ 

CJoff ee 

Liquor     (used 
at  table) . 

Beer 

Whiskey   .  . 

Wine   

Soft  drinks.  .  . 

Tea 

Articles 


56.  Miscellaneous 

Baking  powder 

Catsup 

Gelatine 

Ice 

Pepper 

Pickles 

Salt 

Spices 

Vinegar 

Yeast 


Period  of 
time 


Quantity 


Price 


Annual 


Quantity 


Amount 
paid 


Remarks 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  food  eaten  at  home . 


Appendix  I 
Food— Continued 


101 


57.  Meals  aw  at  from  Horn: 

What  meals 

Number 
per  week 

Provided  from 

hoxise 
(yes  OB  no) 

Bought  Odtbidb 
(Cost) 

Weekly 

ArinuaUy 

Father 

% 

$ 

Mother 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  food  eaten  away  from  home . .  $ . 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  food $. . . 

68.  In  how  small  quantities  and  how  frequently  is  food  bought? . 


59.  Where  are  food  supplies  purchased?  (underline)    Grocers',  butchers' 
shops,  markets,  delicatessen  stores,  street  venders. 

60.  What  faciUties  for  keeping  provisions  and  cooked  food? 


61.  How  frequently  are  guests  present  at  meals? 

62.  What  canning  and  preserving  is  done  in  the  home?  (specify) . 


102     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clbaning  Supplies  and  Services  (Personal) 


63.        Abticles 


Toilet  soap. .  . 
Tooth  paste. . 
Toothbnishe* . 

Combs 

Brushes 


Period  of 
time 


Quantity 


Price 


Annual 


Quantity 


Amount 
paid 


Remarks 


Shoe  polish 

Barber's  aerTJces 

Shaves 

Haircuts 

Other  personal 
services 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  personal  cleaning  supphes  and  services 


Appendix  I 


103 


Cleaning  Sttpplies 

AND  Services  (Household) 

Period  of 
time 

Quantity 

Price 

Annual 

64.        Articles 

Quantity 

Amount 
paid 

Remarks 

Laundry  soap 

$ 

$ 

Starch 

Bluing 

Clothesline.      .  . 

Clothespins 

Furniture  polish .... 

Broom 

Stove  polish 

Cleanser 

Scouring  soap 

Labor  for  washing. . . 

Work  sent  to  laundry 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  household  cleaning  supplies  and  services 
$ 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  all  cleaning  supplies  and  services 


104     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clothinq 


Articles 


Actual  number 

during  past 

year 


65.  For  father 

Hats 

Caps 

Sweaters 

Overcoats 

Suits 

Extra  trousers . . . 

Overalls 

Working  shirts.  . 

Dress  shirts 

Collars 

Ties 

Suspenders 

Belts 

Handkerchiefs.  . . 

Nightshirts  or  pa- 
jamas   

Underwear — 
summer  sets. . . 

Underwear — 
winter  sets. . . . 

Socks 

Shoes 

Shoe  repairs 

Rubbers 

Gloves 

Shoestrings 

Jewelry 

Garters 


Cost 

during  past 

year 


Average  number 
per  year 


Remarks 


Total  annual  expenditures . 


Appendix  I 


105 


CuyrHiNG — Continued 


Articles 


lAciitaZ  number 

during  past 

year 


66.  For  mother 

Hats 

Sweaters 

Coats 

Furs 

Dresses  of  wash 
goods 

Dresses  of  woolen 
or  silk 

Suits 

Skirts 

Waists 

Petticoats 

Corsets 

Underwear — sum- 
mer (specify  ar- 
ticles)   


Cost 

during  past 

year 


Average  number 
per  year 


Remarks 


Underwear — win- 
ter (specify  ar 
tides) 


Shoestnngs .  .  . 
Nightdresses.  . 

Collars 

Handkerchiefs . 

Gloves 

Aprons 

Stockings 

Shoes 

Shoe  repairs . . 

Rubbers 

Jewelry 

Garters 


Total  annual  expenditures. 


106     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clothing — Continued 


ASTICLES 


67.  For  boy,  age . .  . 

Hate 

Cape 

Sweaters 

Overcoats 

Suite 

Extra  trousers.  . . 

Overalls 

Shirte 

Blouses 

Collars 

Ties 

Suspenders 

Belts 

Handkerchiefs.  .  . 

Nightshirts  or  pa- 
Jamas  

Underwear — 
summer  sets. . . 

Underwear — 

winter  sets .  .  . . 

Stockings 

Shoes 

Shoe  repairs 

Rubbers 

Glovea 

Shoestrings 

Jewelry 

Garters 


Actual  number 

during  past 

year 


Cost 

during  past 

year 


Average  number 
per  year 


Remarks 


Total  annual  expenditures $. 


Appendix  I 


107 


Clothing — Continued 


Abticles 


Actual  number}       Cost      U^^^gg  number 
dunngpast    dunng  past        J;    g^^ 


year 


68.  For  girl,  age 

Hats 

Sweaters 

Coats 

Furs 

Dresses  of    wash 

goods 

Dresses  of  woolen 

goods 

Waists 

Petticoats 

Corsets 

Underwear — sumf 

mer  (specify) . 


year 


Remarks 


Underwear — ^win- 
ter (specify) . . 


Nightdresses.  .  . 

Ribbons 

Handkerchiefs . . 
Gloves,  mittens. 

Aprons 

Stockings 

Shoes 

Shoe  repairs. .  .  . 

Rubbers 

Jewelry 

Garters 

Shoestrings 


Total  annual  expenditures. 


108     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


ChcyrBitiQ— -Continued 


Abticles 


69.  For  child  under 
3— boy,  girl 

Caps 

Sweaters 

Coats  and  sacks 

Dresses 

Rompers  and  play 

suits 

Petticoats 

Diapers 

Bands 

Underwear — 

summer  sets. 
Underwear — 

winter  sets .  . 
Nightdresses.  . 
Bathrobes.  .  .  . 

Ribbons 

Bibs 

Handkerchiefs . 

Mittens 

Stockings 

Shoes 

Jewelry 


Actual  number 

during  past 

year 


Cost 

during  past 

year 


Average  number 
per  year 


Remarks 


Total  annual  expenditures . 


70.  Summary.  Expenditures  for  clothing 

Father 

Mother 


Labor  for  cleaning  and  pressing . 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  clothing . 


Appendix  I 


109 


71. 


Physician . 
Dentist . . 


Oculist . 


Health 


Objectb  of  Expenditure 


Nurse 

Surgical  appliances •  •  •  •  • 

Medicine  prescribed  by  physician . 
Other  medicines 


Annual 
cost 


Hospital  charges 

Dispensary  charges .  .  . 
Spectacles,  eye  glasses . 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  health * 

72.  What  cases  of  serious  iUness  or  accident  have  occurred  during  the 


year? •  •  •  • 

(Note  member  of  family) 


73'  What"free  medical  attendance  has  been  received?. 
74'.  Is  patent  medicine  used? To  what  extent?. 


110     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

FuRNTTtTRE   AND   FURNISHINGS 


75.                Articles 

Annual 

Remarks 

{Note  whether 

2d  hand) 

Quaniily 

Cost 

Rugs 

% 

Carpets 

Linoleum 

Piano 

Other  musical  instruments  (specify) 

Chairs 

Tables 

Beds 

Other  wooden  furniture  (specify).. . . 

Bedding  (specify) 

Bed-linen  (specify) 

Table-linen  (specify) 

Pictures 

Curtains 

Mirrors 

Ornaments 

Lamps 

Lamp-shades 

Window  shades 

Screens 

Netting 

Dishes  and  tableware  (specify) .... 

Kitchen  utensils  (specify) 

Stove 

Refrigerator 

Trunks,  suitcases,  etc.  (specify) 

Other  items  (specify) 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  furniture  and  furnishings  ....$. 


Appendix  I 


111 


76,  Present  equipment: 

[Enumerate  the  principal  articles  in  each  room,  designating  the  room 
as  parlor,  kitchen,  etc.,  and  state  the  kind  of  furniture  (e.  g., 
folding  bed,  lace  curtains)  and  present  condition] 


Taxes,  Dues  and  Contributions 

77.        Amount  Paid  to  Labor  Unions 

Weekly 

AnniuUly 

By  father 

$ 

$ 

By            

By                                                         

Total  annual  amount  paid  to  labor  unions . 


78.  Amount  Paid  to  Lodges  and  Societies 


By  father . 

By 

By 


Weekly 


AnnvxiUy 


Total  annual  amount  paid  to  lodges  and  societies . 


79.  Annual  amount  paid  in  taxes $ . 

80.  Amount  of  gifts  of  friendship  (outside  of  family) $ . 

81.  Amount  paid  to  church  or  other  religious  organizations  $ . 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  taxes,  dues  and  contributions .  .%. 


Recreation  and  Amusements 

82.  In  what  ways  do  adult  members  of  the  family  seek  amusement  and 
recreation? 


83.  In  what  ways  do  children  seek  recreation? . 


112     W orkingmerC s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Recreation  and  Amusements — Continued 

84.  Annual  expenditures  for  the  regular  theater $. 

85.  Annual  expenditures  for  moving  pictures $. 

86.  Annual  expenditures  for  dances $. 

87.  Annual  expenditures  for  excursions  and  pleasure  trips . . .  $ . 


88.  Annual  expenditures  for  toys  and  playthings $ 

89.  Annual  expenditures  for  other  forms  of  amusement  (state  the  pur- 
pose)   $ 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  recreation  and  amusements.  .|. 


Education  and  Reading 

90.  Annual  school  expense  of  children  (exclusive  of  carfare). .  I. 

91.  Newspapers  and  periodicals  (specify) $. 


92.  Books 

93.  Postage  and  stationery . 


Total  annual  expenditures  for  education  and  reading $ . 


Insurance 


Kind  of 
insurance 

Amount 
carried 

Amount  Paid 

94.    For  Insurance  op 

Weekly 

Anniuxlly 

Father 

1 

$ 

$ 

Mother 

1st  child 

2d  child 

3d  child 

4th  child 

6th  child 



Total  annual  expenditures  for  insurance  of  persons . 


Appendix  I  113 


95.  Is  furniture  insured  against  fire? 

For  how  much?  $ Annual  premium  $. 

Against  theft? 

For  how  much?  $ Annual  premium  $ . 

96.  Is  house  insured? 

For  how  much?  $ Annual  premium  $ . 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  insurance  of  persons  and 
property S- 

Carfare 

97.  Carfare  of  father  to  and  from  work $. 

98.  Carfare  of  other  wage-earners  to  and  from  work $. 

99.  Carfare  of  children  to  and  from  school $ . 

100.  Carfare  of  mother $ . 

101.  Carfare  for  visiting,  recreation,  etc $. 

Total  annual  expenditures  for  carfare $. 

Miscellaneous  Expenditures 

102.  Objects  of  expenditure: 

Funeral $. 

Legal 

Moving 

Interest  on  debts 

Telephone 

Beer,  whiskey,  etc.  (consumed  away  from  home) 

Tobacco 

Pins  (hairpins,  common  pins,  etc.) 

Spending-money  (not  otherwise  specified) 

Father Per  week  $ 

Mother "      "       

Children  at  work "      "       

Children  at  school "      "       

Tools 

Photos  and  kodak  views 

Plants  and  flowers 

Incidentals 


Total  annual  miscellaneous  expenditures . 


Savings  and  Borrowings 

103.  Amount  added  to  bank  account  this  year $ . 

104.  Amount  invested  in  Building  and  Loan  stock,  etc  ....$. 

105.  Loans  made  during  the  year $ . 

106.  Current  payments  on  debts  contracted  during 

previous  years $ . 

Total  annual  savings,  etc $  ■ 


114     Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 

Savings  and  Borrowings — Continued 

107.  Amount  drawn  from  savings  during  the  year $ 

108.  Amount  borrowed  during  the  year $ 

Total  annual  borrowings,  etc $ 

Total  annual  net  savings  or  borrowings $ 

Summary  of  Annual  Expenditures 

109.  Housing $ 

110.  Fuel  and  light $ 

111.  Food $ 

112.  Cleaning  suppUes  and  services $ 

113.  Clothing $ 

114.  Health $ 

115.  Furniture  and  furnishings $ 

116.  Taxes,  dues  and  contributions $ 

117.  Recreation  and  amusements $ 

118.  Education  and  reading $ 

119.  Insurance $ 

120.  Carfare $ 

121.  Miscellaneous  expenditures $ 

Total  expenditures $ 

Summary 

122.  Annual  income $ 

123.  Annual  expenditures $ 

124.  Annual  net  savings $ 

125.  Annual  net  borrowings $ 


APPENDIX  II 


REQUIREMENTS  OF  A  FAIR  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  FOR  A 
FAMILY  OF  FIVE 
TOTAL $ 

Specified  Standasd $ 

Housing 

Annual  rent $ 

Two-story  house,  with  six  rooms,  facing  street;  bath- 
room, including  toilet,  washstand,  and  tub;  laundry; 
furnace;  and  faciUties  for  cooking  and  lighting  with 
gas. 

Fuel  and  Light 


Unit 


Price  per  unit 


Annual  quantity 


Annual  cost 


Total. 


Coal,  pea. . . 
Coal,  stove. 

Gas 

Matches.  .  . 


ton 

ton 
1000  cu.  ft 
box  of  500 


2^ 
2K 

26 

52 


Food 


Unit 

Price  per  unit 

AnnvM  quantity 

Annual  cost 

Total     .... 

$ 

Bread  and  cereals 

$ 

Bread 

16  oz.  loaf 
24  oz.  doz. 

lb. 

lb. 

pkg. 

12  lb.  bag 

12  oz.  pkg. 

lb. 

lb. 

$ 

988 
52 
13 
26 
13 
13 
13 
52 
39 

$ 

Buns  and  rolls 

Cakes,  misc. .  . 

Cornmeal 

Cornstarch . .  . 

Flour,  wheat. . 
Macaroni 

Oatmeal 

Rice 

Meats  and  fish. . 

$ 

Beef 

lb. 
lb. 
lb. 
lb. 
lb. 

$ 

286 
26 
78 
13 
65 

$ 

Chicken 

Fish,  fresh. . . . 

Fish,  salt 

Pork 

1 


115 


116     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Food — Continued 


Unit 

Price  per  unit 

Annual  quantity 

Annual  cost 

% 

Beans  dried 

lb. 
lb. 
doz. 
qt. 
lb. 

% 

13 

26 

78 

728 

13 

% 

Eees         

Milk  fresh  . 

Peas  dried . .  . 

Shortening      .  . 

$ 

Butter 

lb. 
lb. 
lb. 

$ 

26 

32.5 

65 

$ 

Lard 

Oleomargarine 

Fresh  vegetables 

Cabbage 

Carrots        .  .  . 

$ 

2  lb.  head 
2  lb.  bunch 

doz. 
4  oz.  head 

lb. 

pk. 

pk. 

pk. 

pk. 

pk. 

$ 

39 

39 

13 

13 

91 

78 

1 

4 

4 

13 

$ 

Corn   

Lettuce 

Onions         .  . . 

Potatoes,  Irish 

Potatoes,  sweet 

Spinach 

String  beans . . 
Tomatoes 

Canned  vegeta- 
bles         

Corn      

19  oz.  can 
19  oz.  can 
19  oz.  can 

% 

13 
13 
52 

Peas  

Tomatoes .... 

Fresh  fruits 

Apples 

Oranges 

Peaches 

pk. 
doz. 
pk. 

% 

13 

19.5 
6.5 

Dried  fruits .... 

Prunes 

lb. 
15  oz.  pkg. 

$ 

13 
6.6 

Raisins 

Sugars 

Molasses 

18  oz.  can 
lb. 

1 

26 
234 

Sugar,  gran.    . 
Beverages 

Cocoa 

8  oz.  can 
lb. 
lb. 

$ 

13 
52 
13 

Coffee 

Tea 

i 


Appendix  II 


117 


Food — Continued 

Unit 

Price  per  unit 

Annual  quantity 

Annual  cost 

$ 

Miscellaneous.  . . 
Baking  powder 
Ice 

214  oz-  can 
25  lb.  cake 
8  oz.  bottle 
4  lb.  bag 

$        

13 

120 

26 

13 

$ 

Pickles 

Salt 

Clothing 


Total. 


Price  per\  AnnvM 
quantity 


article 


Husband •  • ; 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixture,  30  per  cent 

wool,  lined  or  unlined 

Hats,  soft  or  stiff  felt,  medium  grade 

Hats,  cheapest  straw,  stiff  brimmed 

Sweaters,  60  per  cent  wool •  •  • 

Overcoats,  overcoating,  40  per  cent  wool. . 
Suits,  cheviot  or  cassimere,  50  per  cent  wool 
Extra  trousers,  worsted  face,  cotton  back. . 

Overalls,  denim •  ■ •  •  •  • 

Working  shirts,  cotton  flannel  or  flannelette 

Working  shirts,  cotton  shirting 

Dress  shirts,  printed  madras 

Collars,  stiff  or  soft  washable 

Ties,  silk  and  cotton  four-in-hand 

Suspenders,  cotton  or  lisle  elastic  web 

Belts,  cheap  leather 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton .'■;■" 

Nightshirts  (home  made),  5  yds.  36  inch 

muslin,  thread,  and  buttons 

Nightshirts  (home  made),  5  yds.  36  mch 

outing  flannel,  thread,  and  buttons 

Summer  underwear,  sets,  Balbriggan.. . . . 
Winter  underwear,  sets,  25  per  cent  wool.. 

Socks,  common  cotton 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half-soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm •  •  •  • 

Gloves,  knitted  yarn,  75  per  cent  wool. . . 
Garters,  cotton  elastic  web 


Annual 
cost 


X2 


'A 


1 

3 
1 
12 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 


lis     Workingmen's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clothing — Continued 


Wife 


Hats,  plain  velvet,  little  trimming $ . 

Hats,  plain  straw,  little  trimming 

Coats,  Kersey  cloth,  pile  fabric,  cheviot,  or 
mixtures 

Wash  dresses  (home  made),  6  yds.  36  inch 
gingham  or  percale,  thread,  and  buttons 

Suits,  wool  poplin  or  other  material,  50  per 
cent  wool 

Skirts,  serge,  panama  cloth,  or  plaid  mix- 
tures   

Shirtwaists  (home  made),  2}4  yds.  cotton 
voUe  or  lawn,  thread,  and  buttons 

Shirtwaists  (home  made),  2}/^  yds.  36  inch 
washable  silk,  thread,  and  buttons 

Petticoats  (home  made),  3%  yds.  27  or  36 
inch  muslin,  cambric,  or  sateen,  thread, 
and  buttons 

Corsets,  standard  make 

Corset  covers,  cambric  with  narrow  em- 
broidered or  lace  edging 

Summer  underwear,  cotton  ribbed  union 
suits 

Winter  underwear,  winter  weight  cotton 
union  suits 

Nightgowns  (home  made),  4  yds.  36  inch 
nainsook,    mushn,   or   outing   flannel, 
thread,  and  buttons 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Gloves,  cotton  or  chamoisette 

Aprons    (home    made),    5    yds.    36    inch 
figured  percale  or  gingham,  thread,  and 
buttons 

Stockings,  plain  cotton 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm 


Price  per 
article 


Annual  \ Annual 
quantity     cost 


Boy,  age  13 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixtm-e,  30  per  cent 

wool,  lined  or  unUned 

Hats,  wool  and  cotton  mixture 

Sweaters,  60  per  cent  wool 

Overcoats,  overcoating,  30  per  cent  wool . 


1 


'A 


iM 

'A 

¥2 

y2 


I 


Appendix  II 


119 


Clothing— Confinued 


Price  per 
article 


Boy,  age  13 — Continued 

Suits,  60  per  cent  wool,  cassimere,  union 
cheviot,  or  suiting 

Extra  trousers,  35  per  cent  wool,  union 
cheviot 

Extra  trousers,  cotton  khaki 

Blouses  (home  made),  2}4  yds.  36  inch  per- 
cale or  gingham,  thread,  and  buttons .  .  . 

Collars,  stiff  or  soft  washable 

Ties,  silk  Windsor 

Belts,  cheap  leather 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Nightshirts  (home  made),  3H  yds.  36  inch 
muslin,  thread,  and  buttons 

Nightshirts  (home  made),  3H  yds.  36  inch 
outing  flannel,  thread,  and  buttons 

Summer  imderwear,  sets,  Balbriggan 

Winter  underwear,  sets,  winter  weight  cot- 
ton, fleece-Uned 

Stockings,  cotton  ribbed 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm 

Gloves,  fleece-hned,  cotton  back 

Garters  (home  made),  1  yd.  cotton  elastic 
web 


Annual  Annual 
quantity     cost 


Girl,  age  10 

Hats,  tailored  straw 

Hats,  velveteen  or  corduroy 

Sweaters,  worsted  face,  cotton  back 

Coats,  cheviot,  50  per  cent  wool 

Wash  dresses  (home  made),  43^  yds.  36 
inch  gingham  or  chambray,  thread,  and 
buttons 

Petticoats  (home  made),  2  yds.  36  inch 
muslin  and  2\^  yds.  lace  or  edging, 
thread,  and  buttons 

Petticoats  (home  made),  2  yds.  36  inch  out- 
ing flannel,  thread,  and  buttons 

Drawer  waists,  muslin 

Drawers  (home  made),  2  yds.  36  inch  mus- 
Un,  thread,  and  buttons 

Union  suits,  cotton,  fleece-Uned 


1 

2 


H 


1 
3 

2 
18 
4 
4 
1 
1 


H 


2H 

2 
3 

6 
2 


120    Workingmen^s  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia 


Clothing — Continued 


Price  per 
article 


Girl,  age  10— Continued 

Nightgowns  (home  made),  3  yds.  36  inch 

muslin,  and  1 3^  yds.  lace  or  edging, 

thread 

Nightgowns  (home  made),  3  yds.  36  inch 

outing  flannel,  thread 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Gloves,  fleece-lined,  cotton  back 

Stockings,  cotton  ribbed 

Shoes,  gun-metal  welt 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled  and  heeled 

Rubbers,  storm 

Garters  (home  made),  1  yd.  cotton  elastic 

web 

Ribbons,  8  yds.  3  inch  silk  face 


Boy,  age  6 

Caps,  wool  and  cotton  mixture,  30  per  cent 

wool 

Sweaters,  worsted  face,  cotton  back 

Overcoats,  overcoating  or  imion  cheviot, 

30  per  cent  wool 

Wash  suits  (home  made),  23^  yds.  36  inch 

percale  or  gingham,  thread,  and  buttons 

Ties,  silk  Windsor 

Handkerchiefs,  cotton 

Nightgowns  (home  made),  3  yds.  36  inch 

muslin,  thread,  and  buttons 

Nightgowns  (home  made),  3  yds.  36  inch 

outing  flannel,  thread,  and  buttons .... 

Drawer  waists,  muslin 

Drawers  (home  made),  1 3^  yds.  36  inch 

muslin,  thread,  and  buttons 

Union  suits,  cotton,  fleece-Uned 

Stockings,  cotton  ribbed 

Shoes,  satia  calf,  machine  sewed  or  nailed . 

Shoe  repairs,  half -soled 

Rubbers,  storm 

Gloves,  fleece-lined,  cotton  back 

Garters  (home  made),  1  yd.  cotton  elastic 

web 


Annu/il 
quantity 


1 
6 
1 
12 
4 
2 
1 

2 

8 


1 


^ 


1 

3 

4 
2 
18 
3 
2 
1 
1 


Annual 
cost 


Appendix  II 


121 


Carfare 

Unit 

Price 
per  unit 

AnnuM 
quantity 

Annual 
cost 

Total 

$ 

Carfare  of  husband 

ride 
ride 

$ 

604 
104 

$ 

Carfare  of  family 

Cleaning  Supplies  and  Services 


Total. 


Personal 

Toilet  soap . 
Toothbrush . 
Toothpaste . 


Combs,  hard  rubber 

Hairbrushes,  wooden  back . 

Shoe  poUsh 

Barber's  services: 
Husband 


Children . 


Household 

Laundry  soap 

Starch 

Bluing 

Clothesline 

Clothespins 

Stove  polish 

Furniture  polish 

Cleanser 

Collars  sent  to  laundry . 


Unit 


small  bar 

brush 

tube  or 

box 

comb 

brush 

box 

shave  and 
haircut 
haircut 


Price 
per  unit 


M  lb.  bar 
lb. 
pt. 

yd. 

doz. 
box 
pt. 
box 
collar 


Unspecified  cleaning  supplies  and 
services,  26  per  cent  of  cost  of 
specified  requirements 


Annual 
quantity 


Annual 
cost 


70 
5 

12 
1 

12 


10 
8 


120 

24 

12 

5 

1 

26 

2 

36 

52 


Unspecified  Standard 

21  per  cent  of  cost  of  specified  standard. 


INDEX 


Account-books,  period  covered  by, 
14-15;  use  of,  15;  of  Dr.  Cotton 
and  Dr.  Little,  15;  of  Kensing- 
ton mill  workers,  15;  value  of,  15 

Accuracy,  degree  of,  15-19;  how 
obtained,  16-17;  degree  nec- 
essary, 17;  degree  for  different 
classes  of  expenditure,  18 

American  standard  of  living,  2 

Basis  for  standard,  5 
Brubaker,  Dr.  Albert  P.,  4 
Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  U.  S., 
index  numbers  of,  5-6,  42;  food 
schedule  of,  20-21,  55;  ter- 
minology used  by,  30;  assump- 
tion regarding  fluctuation  in 
cost,  46 

Carfare,  detail  of  requirements, 
77;  average  annual  expenditures 
for,  table,  78 

Chapin,  Robert  Coit,  findings  of, 
5;  1918  equivalent  of  figure  of, 
6;  schedule  of,  12-13 

Cleaning  supplies  and  services, 
detail  of  requirements,  79; 
average  annual  quantities  used, 
table,  81;  basis  of  allowances, 
79-80;  basis  of  prices,  80 

Clothing,  detail  of  requirements 
for  husband^  67;  detail  of  re- 
quirements for  wife,  67;  detail 
of  requirements  for  boy,  age 
13,  68;  detail  of  requirements 
for  girl,  age  10,  68;  detail  of 
requirements  for  boy,   age  6, 


68-69;  basis  of  allowances,  69- 
71;  basis  of  prices,  71;  com- 
parison of  costs,  71;  quantity 
used  by  husband,  table,  72; 
quantity  used  by  wife,  table,  73; 
quantity  used  by  boy,  age  13, 
table,  74-,  quantity  used  by  girl, 
age  10,  table,  75;  quantity  used 
by  boy,  age  6,  table,  76 
Cotton,  Dr.  W.  J.  H.,  investiga- 
tion made  by,  7;  account-books 
of,  15 

Education  and  reading,  increased 
cost  of,  45;  average  annual 
expenditures  for,  table,  86 

Families,  self-supporting,  11;  se- 
lection of,  1 1-12;  location  of,  22; 
nationality  of,  22-23;  member- 
ship of,  23-24;  occupation  of, 
24,  table,  25-29;  income  of,  30, 
table,  32-33;  sources  of  income 
of,  figure,  31,  table,  32-33;  ex- 
penditures of,  34,  figure,  35, 
table,  36-37;  housing  facilities 
of,  47-48;  average  rent  paid  by, 
49,  table,  50;  annual  quan- 
tities of  fuel  and  light  used  by, 
table,  52;  food  requirements 
of,  53-54;  food  habits  of,  54- 
56;  annual  consumption  of 
food  by,  tables,  58-€0,  61-63, 
64-66;  clothing  requirements  of, 
67-69 
Food,  analysis  of,  20-21;  detail 
of  requirements,   53-54;   basis 


123 


124 


Index 


of  allowances  of,  54-56;  nec- 
essary constituents  of,  55-56; 
basis  of  prices  of,  56;  compar- 
ison of  food  consumption,  figure, 
57;  annual  consumption  as 
shown  by  estimates,  table,  58- 
60;  annual  consumption  during 
1917-18,  table,  61-63;  annual 
consumption  during  1913-14, 
table,  64-66 

Fuel  and  light,  quantity  necessary, 
51-52;  basis  of  allowances  of, 
51-52;  basis  of  prices  of,  52; 
average  annual  quantities  used, 
table,  52 

Furniture  and  furnishings,  ad- 
vance in  cost  of,  42-43;  average 
annual  expenditures  for,  table, 
84 

Health,  advance  in  cost  of,  41-42; 

average     annual     expenditures 

for,  table,  83 
Housewife,  intelligence  of,  16-17; 

good  faith  of,  16 
Housing,    specifications    of,    47; 

typical  facilities,  47-48;  current 

rentals  of,  49;  average  annual 

rent,  table,  50 

Ihlder,  Mr.  John,  4 

Insurance,  standard  of  protection 
given  by,  45;  average  annual 
expenditures  for,  table,  86 

Investigation,  period  covered  by, 
13-14 

Jacobs,  Mr.  J.  L.,  4 

Kensington  mill  workers,  inves- 
tigation among,  7;  account- 
books  of,  15 

Little,   Dr.   E.   L.,   investigation 


made  by,  7;  account-books  of, 
15 
Living  wage,  in  the  public  service, 
1-2;  lack  of  definite  understand- 
ing of,  2-3 

Man-unit,  requirements  exprepsed 
in  terms  of,  20-21 

Miscellaneous  expenditures,  items 
included  in,  46;  average  an- 
nual expenditures  for,  table, 
87 

National  Industrial  Conference 
Board,  figures  gathered  by,  6 

National  War  Labor  Board, 
"minimum  comfort"  budget 
of,  7 

Philadelphia,  wages  it  has  paid,  3; 
standards  of  Uving  of  working- 
men's  families  in,  4 

Quantity  data,  object  to  obtain, 
19;  items  that  could  not  be  ex- 
pressed in  terms  of,  19 

Recreation  and  amusements,  in- 
creased cost  of,  44-45;  average 
annual  expenditures  for,  table, 
85 

Schedule,  form  of,  12-13;  detail  of, 
12-13,  17;  copy  of,  90-114 

Specified  standard,  items  in,  38- 
39;  per  cent  of  budget,  39;  de- 
tail of,  47-81 

Standard  of  living,  statement  in 
terms  of  goods  and  services,  3; 
amount  necessary  for  a  fair, 
5-7;  adoption  of,  9;  cost  to  be 
ascertained,  9;  no  wage  lower 
than,  9;  modification  of,  9-10; 
to  be  devised  for  other  groups. 


Index 


125 


10;  general  outline  of,  38; 
quantitative  statement  of,  115- 
121 

Taxes,  dues  and  contributions, 
standard  of  support  given  by, 
43;  average  annual  expend- 
itures for,  table,  85 

Unspecified  standard,  items  in, 
38-39;  per  cent  of  budget,  39; 
relationship  of  specified  stand- 


ard to,  40;  cost  variation  of, 
40-41;  percentage  of  error  of, 
41;  average  annual  expenditures 
for  classes  in,  table,  82 

Wage  rate,  practical  application 
of,  7-9;  basic  or  minimum,  8; 
professional  or  clerical  worker 
not  in  need  of  basic  wage  rate, 
8;  laborer  dependent  upon  baaic 
wage  rate,  8;  when  to  put  into 
effect,  8-9 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


I 


z' 


4  \  ^ 


III  Mill  II  nil  Mill  Mill  I 

L  006  782  627  1 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001  154  773    4 


'M§l\ 


m 

;i!'!!vi::':  ' 

%''i' 

ijiil-iinll^ii^ 

ill 

